 Another Michael Mann Masterpiece |
| Review Date: July 4, 2009 |
| Reviewer: Terence Allen, Atlanta, GA USA |
"Public Enemies" proves that Michael Mann is right up there with Martin Scorsese at directing compelling crime dramas. This film, based on a book detailing the nexus of John Dillinger, J. Edgar Hoover, and Melvin Purvis, covers the last year and a half in the life of the famed bank robber, who was branded "Public Enemy Number 1" by Hoover, who was building what would become the FBI. Chasing Dillinger for Hoover was Purvis, who relentlessly pursued Dillinger until the fateful night outside the Biography Theater in Chicago.
Johnny Depp plays Dillinger as a fun-loving but dangerous criminal whose only plan seems to be to live life on the edge until he falls off. As usual, his performance is engaging and utterly believable. Billy Crudup wonderfully plays Hoover as a man obsessed with growing the Bureau, obsessed with public relations, and obsessed with capturing John Dilliger, and Christian Bale plays Purvis as an intelligent, capable, and caught in the difficult position of trying to catch Dillinger while at the same time pleasing a demanding, overbearing publicity seeker.
The film features great supporting performances from Marion Cotillard as Dillinger's girlfriend, Billie Frechette, and Stephen Lang as a veteran Bureau agent assigned to hunt Dillinger.
This is film has plenty of action and thrills, but also possesses great acting, intelligent writing, and masterful directing by Mann. Public Enemies is one the best films to come out in the summer of '09. |
"What keeps you up at night, Mr. Dillinger?" "Coffee."
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| Review Date: July 1, 2009 |
| Reviewer: Leif Sheppard, |
"Public Enemies", helmed by famed director Michael Mann, is a thriller of the most testosterone fueled variety. It's a fast paced actioner brimming at the seams with intense shootouts and a well-stocked cast of steely-eyed, square-jawed men harboring classic narcissistic complexes. Johnny Depp makes a suave, calculating Dillinger. It's more of a manufactured character than an interpretation of the real life Dillinger, but this is of little consequence because Depp achieves grand theatrics with his sullen glare and devil-may-care attitude. He plays it much as I imagine Steve McQueen would've in his heyday, plowing through his world with a sort of darkly cool, apathetic demeanor that suggests he doesn't care one way or the other about anything.
The supporting characters are superlative as well, particularly Stephen Dorff as Homer Van Meter. There's an intensity to his character that Dorff really brings out. In fact, I didn't even recognize him at first (interestingly, he looked very similar to actor Tim DeKay). Jason Clarke, who portrays John "Red" Hamilton, is an actor primarily known for his television work. I surmise he was chosen for his striking resemblance to the real life criminal; just compare his photograph to the infamous mug of Hamilton. He's probably the most featured gangster, other than Dillinger, being that Hamilton is portrayed as his right hand man. Of course, Christian Bale turns in an able performance as respected G-Man Melvin Purvis - donning yet another one of his famed accents for the role.
The film begins in medias res with an exciting jailbreak, something which I greatly enjoyed. I was happy the film didn't waste time trying to explain Dillinger's childhood and upbringing. There is no hollow attempt to apply reason to his actions or place blame for his anti-social behavior. In the end it doesn't matter what led him to a life of crime, particularly since over the years the man has transformed from a folk hero into a veritable legend. With that in mind, it's obvious Mann's vision was ambitious. He attempted to pack all the nuances and complexities of Dillinger's world into only two hours and, because of this, the end product is a bit too busy. I get the feeling that a bit of streamlining the script might not have been an awful idea. That aside, it's clear that Mann knew what audiences wanted to see is a rip-roarin' take on the robberies, shootouts, and defiance of the law that filled the bulk of Dillinger's life right on up until the bitter end. This film performs those functions in spades!
The major lacking feature of the film is that characterization takes a backseat to the action. This is, perhaps, inevitable considering the large ensemble cast and the fact that nearly every character is based on a very real, very famous person. Often many seemingly interesting characters never quite gel with the audience because their screentime is so brief. One such character is Gilbert Catena, portrayed by Domenick Lombardozzi (probably best known for his role on HBO's The Wire). Still, those aspects aside, every performance here is stellar. Just glance at the supporting cast which includes: David Wenham, Marion Cotillard, Giovanni Ribisi, and Billy Crudup, among others. It's my fervent hope that upon its release to home video there's an extended cut of the film because I would love to see more of these characters (especially Pretty Boy Floyd, since he is only in the film for a scant couple of minutes).
I've noticed many critics mention that the film unnecessarily milks the climax of the film, which is obviously Dillinger's execution outside of the Biograph Theatre. I didn't mind this so much because it's such an iconic event of the Public Enemy era, and more than that, the film portrays Dillinger's death with precise detail and follows what we know of the actual event to the letter. The scene features numerous clips of the film Dillinger watched: Manhattan Melodrama, the gangster vehicle starring Clark Gable.
The film surmises, with good reason, that Dillinger probably identified with Gable's character. It illustrates this by showing one of the haunting final scenes, when William Powell offers to have his death sentence commuted, Gable replies with "You think you're doing me a favor by keeping me locked up in this joint for the rest of my life? I don't want it. If I can't live the way I want, then at least let me die the way I want." Dillinger's face expressed great understanding, perhaps even compassion, with this statement. It's a great cinematic moment, especially since the audience is very well aware of what is about to transpire in his own life.
I give bonus points to the production crew for so aptly depicting mid-west America during the Depression. Many real-life buildings were redressed to look as they did during the time and their efforts greatly enhance the atmosphere. Then there are the detailed setpieces (one of my favorites, though it's a blink-and-you'll-miss-it one, is Gilbert's shop), the hairstyles and slick suits, the classic cars - they hit all the notes correctly. There's even some archaic slang film fans will remember from gangster films made in the thirties, such the calling of prison guards "screws".
The robbery scenes, being the lynchpin of any Dillinger yarn, are somewhat brief but accurately portray Dillinger's tactics and methods. Also, concerning actual history, this film does take liberties with what really occurred (like any film does). Perhaps the most egregious liberties are taken concerning the demises of the various gangsters. For instance, Pretty Boy Floyd is depicted as being killed months prior to Dillinger's death (Dillinger even references his demise to Pervis), when in fact he died months afterward. Also, Homer Van Meter survived Dillinger, only to be killed a month later. These aspects are often a necessary evil, because a filmmaker must strike a balance between reality and entertainment - and the two do not always intersect seamlessly. If you want a version that follows the facts exclusively - buy the book.
In summation, "Public Enemies" may not be remembered as a classic action film, but it will be remembered as a classic gangster film. The most gratifying aspect is that, unusual for most action films, all the actors turn in very memorable performances. Some critics and the press have commented on how Bale is absent from nearly all the trailers and promotional materials for this film, but when you watch it, the reason is quite understandable. This is unquestionably Depp's film, and though I concede to not having a particular predilection for him, his role here is not to be missed. This is well worth the price of admission! |
"He went to a place. He was cold. He bought a coat."
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| Review Date: July 3, 2009 |
| Reviewer: Melissa Niksic, Chicago, IL United States |
That line from "Public Enemies," delivered by Christian Bale, made me laugh like crazy for several minutes straight. Fortunately, though, that was the only ridiculous moment of the film.
"Public Enemies" is a dramatic and enthralling tale of the story of John Dillinger, a notorious bank robber from the 1930's who was also known as "Public Enemy #1." Johnny Depp delivers a riveting performance of this infamous crook's violent crimes and constant run-ins with the law. The movie has a strong supporting cast, including Marion Cotillard as John's lover. Billie Frenchette, and Billy Crudup as the bizarre FBI director J. Edgar Hoover. As previously mentioned, Christian Bale, who in my opinion is one of the lousiest working actors in Hollywood right now, plays the role of the lead FBI agent on the Dillinger case. However, he amazingly didn't annoy me all that much, because his character is supposed to be kind of a putz (along with the rest of the law enforcement officers depicted in the film).
This movie is part gangster film and part love story, and it does a great job at being both. "Public Enemies" gives viewers an inside look at many interesting criminal characters, and shows us multiple sides of America's favorite bank robber. I think this is one of Depp's best films to date, and he was perfectly cast in the role. A couple of things about the film annoyed me, such as small deviations from real-life history and an ending that just seemed a bit anticlimactic (and not just because I already knew exactly what became of John Dillinger). Overall, though, I thoroughly enjoyed this movie and highly recommend it, especially to fans of gangster films. This is one for the ages. |
Michael Mann and Johnny Depp! How Could This Movie Not Be Great!
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| Review Date: July 1, 2009 |
| Reviewer: Shawn Kovacich, The Greatest Little City in the World |
Well it's now the morning after the midnight showing of this movie and although I am a bit bleary eyed and still haven't woke up, I am taking a couple of minutes here to give you my take on this very well done movie. So without further ado (and please forgive the typos) let's get started.
If you seen the original movie Dillinger, which starred Warren Oates in the tile role and a very young Richard Dreyfus as Lester "Baby Face" Nelson, you would be inclined to think that this movie is simply a remake, and in some respects you would be correct, but it is not.
Mann and Depp do a remarkable job, as do all the other actors in this movie, in telling not only the story of John Dillinger, but also all the other players and circumstances that ultimately led to Dillinger's demise and the rise of the FBI, which may not have even really come into being had it not been for the exploits of Dillinger, but that is another story that really needs to be told.
Mann includes all of the historical characters in this movie and some of which you probably didn't even know existed unless you have done some research on your own. Characters including the infamous "Lady in Red" Anna Sage, who betrayed Dillinger and then was herself betrayed. Big surprise there! J. Edgar "Cross Dressing" Hoover, Melvin Purvis, Pretty Boy Floyd, and the entire host of depression era gangsters with the notable exclusion of Bonnie and Clyde.
My one complaint with this movie and this is strictly a male testosterone driven comment here, is that they spent way too much time on the love interest between Dillinger and Billie. I would like to have seen a few more detailed shoot-outs and bank robberies and leave the love scenes between the two on the cutting room floor. But hey, that's just my opinion.
With that aside, this is definitely a must see movie and I look forward to adding it to my DVD collection in a few months. Although I am sure that I am going to catch it at least one more time in the theater.
Shawn Kovacich
Movie Fan and Author of the Achieving Kicking Excellence series. |
Public Enemy #1
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| Review Date: July 2, 2009 |
| Reviewer: Eric M. Milillo, West Islip, NY |
"We're not here for your money, we're here for the bank's money"--John Dillinger. Dillinger was a Great Depression era bank robber that some labeled as Public Enemy number one, and others idolized him. He robbed at least two dozen banks, murdered a handful of police officers and escaped from jail twice.
Michael Mann's "Public Enemies" manages to capture the iconic, crime filled life and ultimately the gruesome death of John Dillinger with remarkable accuracy. Dillinger's bank robbing career was shown with vivid detail; even his graceful movements during heists, earning him the nickname of Jackrabbit, were shown. Credit Johnny Depp for playing Dillinger in such a ravishing performance. Depp embodied the mannerisms, speech and character of the infamous bank robber.
"Public Enemies" is one of the best films of 2009. The direction of Mann combined with a superb cast led by Johnny Depp perfectly capture the essence of a Depression era crime story. Not handing over your money to see this film would be the real crime.
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