Review of Black Mass (2015) by Thegodfatherson — 19 Sep 2015
Johnny Depp is no Tim Burton puppet anymore. Black Mass visualizes the swagger and bravado that is still left in Depp. Black Mass is the terrifying tale of Boston gangster James "Whitey" Bulger, and his rise and fall, all told by the lens of Scott Cooper (Crazy Heart, Out Of The Furnace), with an electric cast such as Dakota Johnson, Joel Edgerton, Benedict Cumberbatch, Kevin Bacon, and Rory Cochrane.
Mass proves to be a solid movie, with a strong cast, excellent atmosphere and gut cringing violence, but the real surprise is Depp. He moves the movie frame by frame with a powerhouse performance that cannot be described in words.
He puts all the swag he has on screen, and that also with real "jolt". Dakota Johnson as Bulger's wife, Lindsey Cyr, did a decent job post Fifty Shades age. Cumberbatch was good, but I felt like his character didn't have much to do with the main plot, nonetheless he was a fine addition.
Joel Edgerton was good as well, with an electric scene in which it is definatley Edgerton's show. But the film, although being solidly paced and amazing all around, has some issues. Cooper's vision is uneasy and crinkled, he doesn't seen to express Bulger and his mob, the scenes are passes off with unnecessary violence and killings.
Depp falls under this bad characterization of Whitey, and that could reflect him if other critics want to consider the film for Oscars. But, anyways! Johnny Depp deserves an Oscar. More than any actor this decade.
This film could have not cast any man other than Depp. Brilliant. And an absolute must watch.
This review of Black Mass (2015) was written by Thegodfatherson on 19 Sep 2015.
Black Mass has generally received positive reviews.
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