Johnny Depp gives flawless performance as Whitey Bulger in “Black Mass” but film has its flaws
– FILM REVIEW- By Cate Marquis –
Johnny Depp delivers a chilling, powerful performance as James “Whitey” Bulger, in the true-story crime thriller “Black Mass.” While Depp is flawless, the film is not.
The story of Bulger’s rise to power as a crime figure while being a protected FBI informant is one of the most bizarre true crime stories of recent decades. In fact, Bulger’s story was the basis of a previous film. Martin Scorsese’s Oscar-winning “The Departed” was partly loosely based on the same story. That film won four Oscars but this retelling, based more closely on the real events, is a less effective, more rambling film. The pace of “Black Mass” is often languid, despite bursts of violence, which are often presented in a surprisingly emotionally cool, matter-of-fact manner.
Depp’s performance is outstanding but, unfortunately, the film is not. Depp completely immerses himself in this role, changing his appearance, including contacts to recreate the crime lord’s icy blue eyes, and capturing Bulger’s walk and posture. His portrayal is so convincing and powerful, that the film is worth seeing for his portrayal alone.
It is hard to fault the rest of the cast for the film’s tepid tone. The cast includes Joel Edgerton as Bulger’s FBI handler John Connolly, Benedict Cumberbatch as Bulger’s powerful State Senator brother Billy, plus Kevin Bacon, Peter Sarsgaard and Corey Stoll as other FBI members – all proven talents.
Rather, director Scott Cooper seems determined to cram in so many incidents and so many characters that the narrative seems bogged down in details. The pace is slow, even plodding at times, and only a few scenes have much fire. One expected more from the director of the moving “Crazy Heart” and the gripping thriller “Out of the Furnace.”
The film spans the whole of Bulger’s history with the FBI, starting with his recruitment by an agent (Joel Edgerton) who grew up in Bulger’s neighborhood. The agent is ambitious and pitches the idea to the criminal as a partnership – Bulger informs on the Italians in North Boston and eliminates a rival, while the agent gets the glory for the Mafia arrests. The agent turns a blind eye as Bulger exploits the deal for much more advantage, becoming the dominate crime lord in Boston.
There is plenty of ground to cover, if you wanted to include the many events and people,which Cooper seems to want to do. Although there are scenes of violence and on-screen murders, only Depp’s seething character ever gives a sense of menace, with the photography and direction keeping to tone almost neutral. Long sequences where little seems to happen and the slow pacing of the whole film makes it seem longer than it is and diffuses what tension Depp’s performance gives.
“Black Mass” would have had a way to go to top “The Departed” but with tighter editing and a more focused script, it could have been a better film. It is unfortunate for Depp, delivering one of his best performances, that the film is not as worthy of his efforts as it should have been. Still his remarkable performance, as well as the supporting cast, make this flawed film worth a look.
© Cate Marquis
