Review of Black Mass (2015) by Kevin P — 04 Jul 2018

Strengths: When on, Johnny Depp (James "Whitey" Bulger) can be one of the most dynamic actors on the planet. While this isn't among the best performances he's ever given, it is a strong, chilling portrayal of a real life crime boss. The tone set throughout this film really fits, as you get a gritty feel for almost everything that happens. The cinematography is a highlight. In a smaller role than expected, Jesse Plemons (Kevin Weeks) does very well.

Weaknesses: Joel Edgerton (John Connolly) is usually very good in nearly every role he takes on. Unfortunately, this is a rare miss. He's very forgettable, just like the character he's playing. Benedict Cumberbatch (William Bulger) tries and does okay, but his Boston accent is pretty rough. The script doesn't feel like it knows what to do with the characters involved or how to tell the story properly. It's as if the writers saw snippets of what made similar crime movies work and they didn't pay enough attention on how to structure it. It's also hard to fully set up proper character arcs when telling a true story, but here, nobody really grows or learns anything. Even the eventual hero in the story, Carey Stoll's Fred Wyshak, doesn't show up until late enough to feel like a hero.

Overall: Considering the performance of Johnny Depp and the premise behind the movie, I'd have to consider this a big disappointment. The script fails them, as do the performances of some of the supporting cast.