Review of Black Mass (2015) by Carlos R — 06 Aug 2016

I Love to see Johnny Depp play a true life gangster, much more than I like to see him in pale make up or in Tim Burton films. Blow is a perfect example, along with Public Enemies. He delves deep into his portrayal of any real life person, taking time to talk to them or people they know in order to get the part pitch perfect (Fear & Loathing/ Ed Wood). I would venture to say he is one of my favorite actors of all time with range, experience and clout to boot. I was told I had to watch this movie by a talkative strung out man at mcdonalds who swore Johnny Depp was as compelling as Chris Walken (Frank White).

That said the ensemble cast does a great job too. Not much peaks my fancy like a screen full of actors I recognize putting in work to make a film masterful. I belittled the movie in my mind, knowing little about it and thinking it was about Johnny playing a mob snitch. I was right and way off at the same time. Within the first few minutes it reminded me alot of Casino and I couldn't stop thinking that kid from that arc in Breaking Bad got so fat.

It's about the bonds of a neighborhood and where they take you. It's about loyalty in the face of insurmountable odds. And the what happens when you don't remain that way or remain that way too long. I'm admittedly a fan of the violence and gangster film tropes. Johnny Depp, the superb minor characters performances and the fact it way outperforms what is promised in the film's outline have me giving it such a score.