Review of Black Mass (2015) by Mike P — 25 Nov 2015

***** Excellent.

James "Whitey" Bulger, the kingpin leader of the "Winter Hill" gang, was a notorious criminal from South Boston responsible for many deaths. He was a fugitive for many years until he was found and arrested in Santa Monica, California in 2011. Bulger was as vulgar as a criminal could get. Bulger was also an FBI informant revealing info on mafia organizations in North Boston, but that didn't stop Bulger from orchestrating his own mass killings. Director Scott Cooper has organized a crime film in the story of Bulger's violent ways in South Boston called "Black Mass". The film was a surefire hit with me, and I thought Cooper did a sensational job in orchestrating it. Johnny Depp's performance as Bulger was the best of his career, and you could "depp" on it that it will garner him a well-deserved Best Actor Oscar nomination. Joel Edgerton was also on his game as FBI Agent John Connolly who protected Whitey for selfish career purposes. Peter Sarsgaard provides a scene-stealing performance as a drug-dealer paranoid that Bulger will assassinate him. Benedict Cumberbatch did a nice job imitating a Massachusetts Senator who also happens to be Whitey's brother, ouch! Mark Malluok and and Jez Butterworth's screenplay of the picture was worthy and on its mark with its authentic narrative on the crime world of South Boston and of course Bulger's rise & fall. However, in all, it was Depp who was the biggest hit of the movie, and Johnny being bad was very very good. So witness it for yourself and then tell the masses about "Black Mass".