Finally Depp steps away from being a pirate and a murdering barber to actually playing well a normal person. Just with a bad habit of robbing banks.
Set during the Great Depression, it focuses on the true story of FBI agent Melvin Purvis's attempt to stop criminals John Dillinger, Baby Face Nelson, and Pretty Boy Floyd. Dillinger and the gang go on a never-ending frenzy of bank robbery's, during this hard economic time.
First of all the film captures all the happenings of Dillinger's last year of his life. Though we never know much about him particularity we still understand his character and where he comes from. Michael Mann directs this film and actually does a very good job despite his last couple of films falling underneath the trucks and becoming critically panned.
Though this movie did have some faults however. The way the digital camera is used toned down the feeling for this film. It looked like I was in the 30's but didn't feel like I was in the 30's. To be truly honest digital camera's shouldn't be used for period pieces. Secondly, the film started to lure away from more character developement to just show elaborate action sequences. Remember this is a Michael Mann film. Lastly, I thought Christian Bale who played Melvin Purvis didn't do such a great job as I thought he would. His accent felt very forced and he wasn't very believeable, and that kinda threw me away from his character.
Despite some of these faults the film is very effective in many ways, ways that I thought wouldn't happen.
First of all Depp has a very effective performance as Dillinger. He makes the character a very lovable villain and terribly real. He gives him a good sense of humor, slick ways of management, and overall a nice hearted guy not so much as a evil man that the media had him put out to be. Also Academy-Award winning actress Marion Cotillard gives a very strong performance as Dillinger's love interest.
The action scenes were very well-done,as usual from Michael Mann. And the film is very on the point with capturing Dillinger's last year of his life.
I just was expecting more from this all-star cast and great director and I fully wasn't stunned by this movie. Was it good? Yes, but not great as it could've been if given the right direction.
Still without a doubt you should see it but don't go crazy to look for it. Still a good film with a great iconic performance from Depp and features a great biopic about a gone but never forgotten depression-era criminal.
Kevin - 8/14/2010 (reply)
Love it. And awesome review, too.