BLACK MASS MOVIE REVIEW

Another film based out of a gangster, this time from a real one though! People who know who Whitey Bulger is and who have heard about his case would be more than just thrilled to watch this hooligan drama. Though over the years, we have come across many characters that resemble Mr. Bulger, Black Mass claims to be the first official biography of this former crime boss from Boston.

The film, which was initially supposed to have a runtime of close to 3 hours, is shortened to just over two hours due to pace issues. If you are a fan of tragicomic antihero gangster dramas, you will find Black Mass captivating or else it’s just not the place for you to park your derriere-as simple as that!

Mark Mallouk and Jez Butterworth are responsible for the screenplay of the film. The story runs back and forth, a style which has become a very common affair these days. Though the screenplay pattern looks winsome, it annoys you at places, especially when you find scenes of less intensity sneaking after a vintage sequence.

Johnny Depp has given a lifetime performance in Black Mass and this is the second time that he plays a gangster after Public Enemies. Be it his makeup or his mannerisms, he looks like a real deal and is doubly impressive. But on the down side, he does not look aged and his makeup looks the same throughout apart from few unnoticeable wrinkles here and there.

The scene where he trains his kid to punch people when no one notices is among the best ones. Particularly the way he says “It's not what you do, it's when and where you do it, and who you do it to or with. If nobody sees it, it didn't happen”, makes the scene special.

Only Johnny’s character is painstakingly crafted, the thugs around him aren’t authentic enough. Their body languages or mannerisms did not meet the gangster stature. Yes, the onus is supposed to be on Johnny but it could have been better if the other characters were given their due.

Likewise Benedict Cumberbatch isn’t well conceived too. They may have played it safe, may be because it’s about an ex-senator. Nevertheless, his role is very diplomatic.

Though there are discrepancies between what actually happened and what was shown in the film, the director has taken some real steps to show things real by shooting at the location where the actual murder took place which is credible on the part of the director.

On the whole, Black Mass may or may not be a justifiable biopic of Whitey Bulger, but product wise it’s on par with any gangster dramas which you would have seen over the years, thanks to Johnny Depp for his impeccable performance.