Directed by Michael Mann. Starring Johnny Depp, Christian Bale, Marion Cotilliard, Giovanni Ribisi, Billy Crudup, Lili Taylor, Branka Tatic, Leelee Sobieski. Drama/True Crime/Gangsters/HIstorical. Synopsis: A biopic of famed gangster John Dillinger focusing on his meteoric rise to being "Public Enemy #1" and eventual death at the hands of federal agents on the streets of Chicago, a span of little more than 1 year.
Its hard to imagine a flick starring Johnny Depp not being good on some level, and when you have an interesting story and a talented and large supporting cast, you would think the flick is going to be pretty good and Public Enemies is pretty good.
The first thing you should know is, though the flick focuses on John Dillinger (Johnny Deep From Hell), this historical movie also spends quite a bit of time with other real life individuals, including contemporary gangsters like Alvin Karpis (Giovanni Ribisi Flight Of The Phoenix) and Pretty Boy Floyd (Channing Tatum G.I.Joe) as well as the lawmen pursuing them such as Bureau agent Melvin Purvis (Christian Bale The Dark Knight) and Bureau director J. Edgar Hoover (Billy Crudup Sleepers). So, in a way, this is an ensemble cast, but to me its more the story of two people. Dillinger and Purvis, and their parallel lives which are about to intersect.
Also understand that this isn't a real biographical movie. Yes, its about legendary bank robber John Dillinger, but don't expect to see his life story portrayed here, nor even fleeting scenes or references to his childhood or early adulthood (which is really his life since the man was only 31 when he was killed). This film focuses on what is only 13 months of his life, from his release from prison through his some of his more infamous bank robberies and prison raids, and his relationship with Billie Frenchette (Marion Cotilliard).
Mann does a wonderful job of bringing 30s/Depression era middle America to life, which isn't easy since so few are now old enough to remember this era. Usually, in period pieces, when we say, "that really looked like the '30s", or 40s or 1860s or whatever, what we're really saying is the flick looked like what we think the period was like based on other movies we've seen. In Public Enemies, I think you'll really get the sense that you're watching something unfold in 1933 and '34 onscreen, from the set design, costume design, dialogue, and score.
As always, whenever a movie is done about historical events, especially those which are easy to document, I'm a stickler for historical accuracy. My thought is, if the event is interesting or important enough to make a movie about 5, 10, 20,100 or 500 years after it occurred, why do filmmakers need to change things for the purpose of dramatic license? As far as I can determine from my background research and limited knowledge of Dillinger, Public Enemies is extremely accurate in the actual events, and only takes dramtic license in the sequence of some secondary events (e.g a very powerful scene which occurs between Bureau of Investigation Director Hoover and Senator McKellar, which in fact did occur, but not until 1935, after Dillinger's death, when the movie implies it happened during the manhunt for Dillinger) and, of course, personal communications between historical figures that no one can know for certain.
The acting is very good, as you would expect from glancing at the names in the cast. When you have actors as talented as Lili Taylor and Giovanni Ribisi playing minor roles, you've probably got some outstanding talent in your flick. Depp was great, as always, but I don't think this will be remembered as one of his best roles, which is not a criticism but an an acknowledgment of how good this guy is. I thought Christian Bale was outstanding. His ability to disappear into a role is not quite on the level of Sean Penn or Morgan Freeman or Jack Nicholson....yet. But, he's on his way.
I didn't know much about Cotilliard prior to this flick, but her performance as Billie Frechette, whom the movie strongly designates as the love of Dillinger's life, is simmering and the chemistry with Depp works very well. My favorite scene is one in which she is harshly treated and beaten by a federal agent in an attempt to elicit information about Dillinger. Its not my favorite because of the violence, but because Cotilliard plays it so well. Everyone will have empathy for her. An interesting tidbit on this scene is that a witness to it, the secretary of Melvin Purvis, was still alive at the time of the filming of this movie and told Mann about it in detail, something he shares with us on the excellent director's commentary feature on the DVD.
I also need to give a shout out to Branka Tatic, who I thought nailed the role of Anna Sage, the real life "Lady In Red" who helped the feds set up Dillinger for his assassination outside a Chicago theater. Along those lines, those of you who might be interested in seeing other stuff about Dillinger or specifically about how he met his end might want to check out a '70s flick called The Lady In Red which tells the story from the perspective of one of Dillinger's reputed gbirlfriends, Polly Hamilton, who was present with him on his last night at the theater. (Pamela Sue Martin of Nancy Drew fame is Polly in the '79, flick. Leelee Sobieski plays Polly in Public Enemies) Louise Fletcher plays Anna in that movie with Robert Conrad as Dillinger.
Bottom line, Public Enemies is a very well directed and well acted flick that all fans of true crime, Depp or Bale will enjoy. I'm not saying its a great film, but it sure as hell is a very good one, no doubt about it.
Of course, that's just my opinion.
Its hard to imagine a flick starring Johnny Depp not being good on some level, and when you have an interesting story and a talented and large supporting cast, you would think the flick is going to be pretty good and Public Enemies is pretty good.
The first thing you should know is, though the flick focuses on John Dillinger (Johnny Deep From Hell), this historical movie also spends quite a bit of time with other real life individuals, including contemporary gangsters like Alvin Karpis (Giovanni Ribisi Flight Of The Phoenix) and Pretty Boy Floyd (Channing Tatum G.I.Joe) as well as the lawmen pursuing them such as Bureau agent Melvin Purvis (Christian Bale The Dark Knight) and Bureau director J. Edgar Hoover (Billy Crudup Sleepers). So, in a way, this is an ensemble cast, but to me its more the story of two people. Dillinger and Purvis, and their parallel lives which are about to intersect.
Also understand that this isn't a real biographical movie. Yes, its about legendary bank robber John Dillinger, but don't expect to see his life story portrayed here, nor even fleeting scenes or references to his childhood or early adulthood (which is really his life since the man was only 31 when he was killed). This film focuses on what is only 13 months of his life, from his release from prison through his some of his more infamous bank robberies and prison raids, and his relationship with Billie Frenchette (Marion Cotilliard).
Mann does a wonderful job of bringing 30s/Depression era middle America to life, which isn't easy since so few are now old enough to remember this era. Usually, in period pieces, when we say, "that really looked like the '30s", or 40s or 1860s or whatever, what we're really saying is the flick looked like what we think the period was like based on other movies we've seen. In Public Enemies, I think you'll really get the sense that you're watching something unfold in 1933 and '34 onscreen, from the set design, costume design, dialogue, and score.
As always, whenever a movie is done about historical events, especially those which are easy to document, I'm a stickler for historical accuracy. My thought is, if the event is interesting or important enough to make a movie about 5, 10, 20,100 or 500 years after it occurred, why do filmmakers need to change things for the purpose of dramatic license? As far as I can determine from my background research and limited knowledge of Dillinger, Public Enemies is extremely accurate in the actual events, and only takes dramtic license in the sequence of some secondary events (e.g a very powerful scene which occurs between Bureau of Investigation Director Hoover and Senator McKellar, which in fact did occur, but not until 1935, after Dillinger's death, when the movie implies it happened during the manhunt for Dillinger) and, of course, personal communications between historical figures that no one can know for certain.
The acting is very good, as you would expect from glancing at the names in the cast. When you have actors as talented as Lili Taylor and Giovanni Ribisi playing minor roles, you've probably got some outstanding talent in your flick. Depp was great, as always, but I don't think this will be remembered as one of his best roles, which is not a criticism but an an acknowledgment of how good this guy is. I thought Christian Bale was outstanding. His ability to disappear into a role is not quite on the level of Sean Penn or Morgan Freeman or Jack Nicholson....yet. But, he's on his way.
I didn't know much about Cotilliard prior to this flick, but her performance as Billie Frechette, whom the movie strongly designates as the love of Dillinger's life, is simmering and the chemistry with Depp works very well. My favorite scene is one in which she is harshly treated and beaten by a federal agent in an attempt to elicit information about Dillinger. Its not my favorite because of the violence, but because Cotilliard plays it so well. Everyone will have empathy for her. An interesting tidbit on this scene is that a witness to it, the secretary of Melvin Purvis, was still alive at the time of the filming of this movie and told Mann about it in detail, something he shares with us on the excellent director's commentary feature on the DVD.
I also need to give a shout out to Branka Tatic, who I thought nailed the role of Anna Sage, the real life "Lady In Red" who helped the feds set up Dillinger for his assassination outside a Chicago theater. Along those lines, those of you who might be interested in seeing other stuff about Dillinger or specifically about how he met his end might want to check out a '70s flick called The Lady In Red which tells the story from the perspective of one of Dillinger's reputed gbirlfriends, Polly Hamilton, who was present with him on his last night at the theater. (Pamela Sue Martin of Nancy Drew fame is Polly in the '79, flick. Leelee Sobieski plays Polly in Public Enemies) Louise Fletcher plays Anna in that movie with Robert Conrad as Dillinger.
Bottom line, Public Enemies is a very well directed and well acted flick that all fans of true crime, Depp or Bale will enjoy. I'm not saying its a great film, but it sure as hell is a very good one, no doubt about it.
Of course, that's just my opinion.
Directed by Albert & Allen Hughes. Starring Johnny Depp, Heather Graham, Robbie Coltrane, Susan Lynch, Ian Holm, Ian Richardson, Jason Fleming, Katrin Cartlidge, Lesley Sharp. Synopsis: A tale of the killings and the search for Jack The Ripper, the most infamous serial killer of al time who was never caught, told from the perspective of the lead detective on the case, Fred Abberline.
Directed by Laurence Dunmore. Starring Johnny Depp, John Malkovich, Susan Morton, Rosamund Pike. Drama/Historical Synopsis: A frank look at the last few years of the Earl of Rochester, John Wilmot, a 17th century poet who was both a friend of King Charles and one of the more influential authors of the Restoration.
