Black Mass

Release Date: September 18th, 2015
Running Time: 122 minutes
Directed by: Scott Cooper
Written by: Jez Butterworth & Mark Mallouk (based on the 2000 book of the same name by Dick Lehr & Gerald O'Neill)
Starring: Johnny Depp, Joel Edgerton, Benedict Cumberbatch, Rory Cochrane, Kevin Bacon, Peter Sarsgaard, Dakota Johnson, Julianne Nicholson

SPOILER ALERT—DO NOT READ IF YOU HAVEN'T SEEN THE FILM AND DO NOT WANT TO KNOW ABOUT SOME KEY DETAILS

A moderately engaging if overall standard entry into the "based on a true story" biographical crime film genre, Black Mass tells the tale of real-life gangster-turned-FBI informant James "Whitey" Bulger. Bulger was the boss of Boston-based Irish mob outfit the Winter Hill Gang, active from the 1970s through the 1990s. He's portrayed here by Johnny Depp in a characterization that's creepy to the point of being borderline cartoonish, but it's pretty entertaining to watch him ham it up.

Johnny Depp is an interesting actor, known for his quirky, whimsical performances. Even when he goes over the top it's still usually effective because it fits with the style of the films. Such is the case with turns as Hunter S. Thompson in Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas (1998), Captain Jack Sparrow in the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise (2003-ongoing), and in numerous Tim Burton movies. But every now and then Depp shows he actually does have quite a range, playing it relatively straight with characters like J.M. Barrie in Finding Neverland (2004), John Dillinger in Public Enemies (2009), and undercover FBI agent Joseph Pistone in Donnie Brasco (1997). In Black Mass, his portrayal of Whitey Bulger is more on the overboard side. But the movie's style is straightforward, so I'm not sure it quite fits here. Depp is menacing as Bulger, even scary at times, and his physical transformation is impressive—he actually looks like a different person. But it feels more like a caricature than a fully fleshed-out character, a little too one-dimensional as the typical psychopathic criminal kingpin. Maybe this isn't so much Depp's fault as it is the filmmakers', though—the character is written that way—and it's still ultimately a standout performance in an otherwise average crime drama.

Some efforts are made to depict Bulger as someone other than just a criminal and murderer, such as scenes in which he shows sensitivity to his son, or helps an elderly lady from the neighbourhood carry her groceries. But these pieces never go very far, and usually feel like obvious attempts to give Bulger depth of character that he otherwise lacks. He heads a gang of ruthless killers and drug dealers in Boston's South side, and has deep roots in the community. Among his cohorts are his brother Senator Billy Bulger (Benedict Cumberbatch), right-hand man Stephen "The Rifleman" Flemmi (Rory Cochrane), and childhood friend-turned-FBI agent John Connolly (Joel Edgerton). Amidst a bunch of crime film clichés, this is one of the story's more compelling qualities; its exploration of Bulger's relationships with people from the neighbourhood, on both sides of the law, and the loyalty or lack thereof that they have to each other.

After being approached by his old buddy Connolly, who is assigned to the FBI's Boston crime unit, Bulger agrees to become an informant because of their childhood friendship. But it's different here than snitch scenarios in other crime stories. The FBI don't really have much on Bulger, so he doesn't become a rat for the usual reasons—that is, divulging information about other criminals to save himself from legal punishment. Instead, Bulger considers it a business deal in which he'll give Connolly info about his rivals—the Boston Italian mafia—in exchange for the FBI turning a blind eye to his own criminal activities. Bulger effectively uses his FBI connection in Connolly to get special, protected status, and take out his criminal opposition. And Connolly, it seems, is all too happy with the arrangement because he gets credit for taking down the Italian mob. Bulger lays out conditions before he commits to the deal, and tells Connolly he considers it an alliance. This is something I haven't seen before, a different take on the familiar criminal/cop relationship in crime films. It's one of the few really original and more engrossing elements of the story.

Otherwise we see Bulger as a ruthless killer, an ambitious enterpriser who climbs from petty criminal status to become the city's reigning crime boss—with the FBI's help. Why Connolly is so loyal to Bulger is not entirely clear, although it's once mentioned that Bulger saved him from getting beat up in a street fight when they were kids. But is this alone reason enough for Connolly to allow Bulger's criminal exploits to continue unobstructed for years on end? Initially Connolly believes it's a fair trade-off, for the FBI to take down the Italian mob in exchange for Bulger's crew going scot-free. But as Bulger's dirty dealings escalate, it's increasingly apparent that Connolly is being used—that he's just another one of Bulger's pawns. Connolly starts out believing so strongly in the deal that he fights tooth and nail to convince his FBI superior Charles McGuire (Kevin Bacon) to approve the case, in a few scenes that play as your usual rebellious lawman battling with his hard-nosed boss over unorthodox police procedure. McGuire eventually agrees, the deal goes on, and Connolly gloats when they start to get results.

But all is not what it seems, because Bulger is revealed to not really be giving Connolly much substantial information on their rival gang's criminal activities after all, that information leading to the Italian mob arrests have actually come from other sources. Connolly sinks deeper, finally realizing he's in over his head, and starts doctoring up informant testimony records to appear as if they're Bulger's. So the question remains, why does Connolly do it? Does it really come down to old school neighbourhood loyalty, for that one time when Bulger backed Connolly up in a fight? These questions are never really answered.

An intriguing piece of the story is when, after Connolly can no longer maintain the facade and it all starts to go down, Bulger goes on the run. In crime films of this kind we usually see the mobster getting busted and ending up spending life in prison, or going down in a blaze of gunfire. But in real life Whitey Bulger became a fugitive, traveling around the country under assumed identities and evading capture for 16 years, from his late-60s into his 80s. This is perhaps the most interesting aspect to Bulger's story, yet it's glossed over in the last 15 minutes of the film. I would've rather had less of the two-hour movie focus on Bulger's criminal activities, which we've seen the likes of in countless crime films before, and instead see more of his life on the run. It was an opportunity to show a different dimension of criminal life than what we usually see—an elderly, former gangster living underground. But instead the filmmakers chose to make a more typical, traditional crime drama.
Rating (out of 5): ★★★
• Nik Dobrinsky / Boy Drinks Ink
November 30th, 2015