Movie Review: Black Mass

Crime/Biography/Drama
Rated – MA15+
Duration - 122mins
Release – October 2015
Director – Scott Cooper
Cast – Johnny Depp, Joel Edgerton, Benedict Cumberbatch, Kevin Bacon

This is a solo review as unfortunately Mrs Knight has been too sick to go see the film. I have instructed her to have warm lemon drinks and drizzle honey down her throat.

Mr Knight

I was super enthused for this one based wholly on the previews and memories of Johnny Depps’s best work such as Donnie Brasco, Blow and the Pirates franchise. In saying that however, Depp has also been part of some absolute Hollywood lemons including but not limited to The Tourist, Mortdecai, Into the Woods, Transcendence and box office super failure The Lone Ranger.

The scary thing about all those movies, besides The Tourist which was released in 2010, all the rest were released from 2013, being predominately all of Depp’s latest work which may suggest he has lost his “mojo”. But with all that bad surely he was due for a good one… Right?

Black Mass is set in South Boston, starting out in the 70s and finishing up in the early 90s. This flick based on true events, follows infamous crime figure of that time, Jimmy “Whitey” Bulger (Johnny Depp) head of the Irish blooded Winter Hill gang, who in the beginning were small time.

Jimmy Bulger was responsible for filling the Southey streets with drugs, illegal gambling and a reputation for ruthless bloodshed. Known throughout Southie, Jimmy also had political connections with his brother and senator Billy Bulger (Benedict Cumberbatch).

Whitey was in the beginnings of a turf war with the Italian mafia when an old childhood friend reaches out to make him an offer he intends to take full advantage of. Enter FBI agent John Connolly (Joel Edgerton) an up and comer who needs a leg up in the job and with internal pressure to stop the Italian Mob murders stacking up with no leads, Connelly contacts Bulger. Edgerton plays a slick, no worries and relax, agent who plays it cool in all aspects and slowly his arrangement with Bulger becomes more and more criminal and the walls slowly start to close in around Connolly.

Before long Connolly’s bosses start to see the agreement between the FBI and Bulger for what it is. A free pass for Bulger to commit crime, becoming the new crime lord of South Boston, whilst the FBI bring down Bulger’s criminal competition.

Depp is a presence in this film. A combination of his blonde balding combed back hair, his single yellow front tooth and those eerie bright blue eyes all added together with a mile long stare and creepy laugh, give him a genuine scariness associate with mass murderers. Which in actual fact, Jimmy Bulger is.

Brutal could be a way to describe his methods of punishment. In the 70s there were no CCTV cameras and witnesses to his crimes would rather jump off a cliff then testify against this monster, which meant Bulger and his gang could shoot people with long arms in broad daylight in a busy street and walk away with no concerns of the authorities.

Black Mass didn’t knock my socks off, but it did entertain and that was what I really wanted. The movie reminded me a touch of a 70s-80s version of The Departed, just not as polished. For a little bit of crime history I recommend this one. Like all movies based on true events I enjoyed the photos of the real players which featured in the credits. Grab your popcorn, put your feet up and enjoy.