Black Mass is a 2015 true crime drama directed by Scott Cooper. This is a movie famous for its incredible performance by Johnny Depp. Johnny Depp had been making Tim Burton and Pirates movies for what felt like ages at this point, not that either of those were bad things! So, it was awesome to see him really get to remind everyone what a talented actor he is when it comes to more serious and dramatic roles.
How to Download Black Mass
Black Mass was released on September 18, 2015. You can download or stream the film from a digital platform. Click on the Download button at the end of this review and make your choice. If you’re interested in the abovementioned Tim Burton movies that Johnny Depp played in, check out Edward Scissorhands, Sleepy Hollow, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Alice in Wonderland, or Dark Shadows.
The Movie Review
This is based on the true story of Boston gangster James “Whitey” Bulger. Whitey ran a gang in Boston that basically ran rough shot over the city. Whitey has an advantage that his gangster rivals do not and that is FBI agent, John Connolly. You know Johnny Depp gets all the credit for this movie, but Joel Edgerton as Agent Connolly deserves just as much credit.
Agent Connolly’s Role
Agent Connolly grew up with Whitey and the two of them realize that if they work together they are pretty much unstoppable! Connolly is the most corrupt FBI agent you have ever seen and covers up anything that he can which pretty much makes Whitey the most untouchable gangster around.
Johnny Depp’s Performance
Johnny Depp as Whitey is truly disturbing, his gross look and that creepy-as-hell laugh make him a very unnerving kind of character. My wife adores Johnny Depp and she was completely freaked out by him in this movie, that is how good he was in this role! You know, I would put it right up there with his best work.
Overall Assessment
Black Mass is a good movie, but it falls a little short of being great. 95 percent of the people in this movie who are main characters are not really all that likable. At the end of the day, this is a true crime gangster movie so I guess that is to be expected, but it does make it hard to have someone to root for, especially if you were like me and not familiar with this story or these people at all.
Late Introduction of Another Agent
Another agent comes into the movie with the goal of taking Whitey and co down, but this happens way too late in the movie. I feel like we needed a strong-willed badass agent to lead this charge earlier in the movie. Granted the true story nature may not have allowed for it, but it would have made it a better movie. Many movies last way too long, but Black Mass I think could have easily added another 20 minutes to make us feel more connected to this agent.
Conclusion
At the end of the day, Black Mass is a movie that is worth watching for the transformation of Johnny Depp alone. He looks so damn creepy and he pulls it off perfectly. The whole cast is great, but Depp and Edgerton are without a shadow of a doubt the standout performers here.
As I write this, I have seen this movie twice now and to be honest, I could probably go the rest of my life without seeing it again and be ok with that. I am not saying this is a bad movie at all, but apart from Johnny Depp being so different from what we are used to, it is not one of the better true crime gangster movies that I have seen. Still, if you have never seen this, give it a try, it is worth it to see Johnny Depp look so creepy!
