Fresh off of the infamous flop and all-around turd that was Mortdecai and a slew of just plain crappy movies, Johnny Depp gives a remarkable return-to-form performance in Black Mass. He makes the movie as Boston gangster James “Whitey” Bulger, commanding the screen every chance he gets.
The film is directed by Scott Cooper, a native of Abingdon, Va. He is best known for helming 2009’s Crazy Heart, a moving drama that earned Jeff Bridges his Oscar for his portrayal of an aging country singer. Black Mass is much darker and has a lot more going on, but Cooper is developing a brooding style that I admire so far. His second feature, Out of the Furnace, is forgettable despite the presence of Christian Bale and Woody Harrelson. But that same style gives the movie at least an ounce of personality.
Black Mass is definitely a slow burn. Don’t go in expecting a bombastic climax like the one in The Departed. But it’s perpetually unnerving. The violence in particular is sparse, but when it happens, it is effective. It’s intimate and real, and it got to me more than most films are able to.
Benedict Cumberbatch, usually quite the reliable actor, is pretty difficult to take seriously here as Whitey’s brother, Billy. His Boston accent is impossible to take seriously. I was always constantly aware that I was watching Cumberbatch and not his character. He was clearly trying so hard not to sound like a sophisticated British dude, but his nasally voice here is just distracting. Luckily, like many of the supporting characters, he gets relatively little screen time.
The rest of the cast is solid. Joel Edgerton (who just wrote, directed and starred in The Gift, which I previously reviewed) in particular stands out as John Connolly, an FBI agent and childhood friend of Bulger’s. This dynamic provides an interesting twist on a film in the crowded gangster genre. Dakota Johnson, on the heels of her greatest-of-all-time performance in 50 Shades of Grey [cue Beyonce], does admittedly substantial work as Bulger’s wife despite only appearing a handful of scenes.
The makeup team deserves particular props. Depp looks old, nasty and most importantly, terrifying. Just look at those eyes! It makes his performance that much more believable. Their work on Breaking Bad’s Jesse Plemons is also remarkable. He looks much older and worn down, and he definitely looks like he’s had the shit beaten out of him numerous times.
Overall, Black Mass is a raw, unsettling and memorable gangster movie. If you’re the type who loves this kind of dark subject matter, like myself, it’s the first film worth seeing at the theater in weeks. And if you’ve forgotten what Johnny Depp can accomplish when he brings his A-game, this film is a worthy reminder.
Seth Birkenmeyer 