Black Mass (Scott Cooper, 2015)

7.5/10
Johnny Depp's turn as gangster Whitey Bulger is what the advertising for the movie is banking on to get you in the theatre. And no doubt, Depp is just about flawless. It's easy to see why he was attracted to the role as a return to form - physical transformation, accent, make-up, a range of acting emotions from anger to sorrow with plenty of violence...it's all there and Depp does it all really well.
But once Depp's Bulger draws you in, it's the meat of the story that's worth sticking around for. Bulger strikes a deal with FBI agent John Connolly (Joel Edgerton, also great) to turn informant in exchange for protection. Connolly, a childhood friend of Bulger's, quickly loses track of which side of the law he's supposed to be on. This central issue is, in fact, arguably more interesting than Bulger himself, and I feel like if the movie approached the story from a different angle and focused on Connolly instead of the more cinematic Bulger, it might have proven an even more interesting movie (although a harder box office sell, to be sure). That said, Black Mass does not make any real missteps. It's an interesting story well-told and superbly acted.
My only issue is that the pulse of the movie never really quickens - it maintains the same rhythm from beginning to end, telling a fine story but failing to really ensnare the audience and pulling us to the edge of our seats at any point. And as with most biopics, the ending arrives with a bit of a thud, and title cards are used to spell out what happened to each of the men from Bulger and his gang to the FBI agents involved. Truthfully I expected worse, so the movie was an entertaining and pleasant surprise in that regard, but I can't imagine it's a movie that will leave much of a lasting impact on anyone, except maybe for Depp's performance.