Depp Should Have Been Nominated

Rating: 7/10 (27 March 2018)

Continuing my plan to watch every Johnny Depp movie in order, I come to Black Mass
Depp gives a tour de force performance that reminds you why he was so much fun to watch in the first place. He shows us different sides of Bulger. We see the tender father, the loving son, the loyal friend and brother. But of course we see the cold, violent, psychopathic gangster. Depp's portrayal is by far the best thing he has done for years. Truthfully I expected an Oscar nomination, but it never came.
All the support cast is excellent; especially Joel Edgerton and Benedict Cumberbatch. Also look out for Juno Temple in a scene stealing sequence that begins outside a police station and ends in a deserted house. That's stayed with me, long after the movie ended. Peter Sarsgaardalso has some memorable scenes and I always like to see Kevin Bacon in a movie.
As good as the performances are, I don't love the movie. It's good to watch, but its not got much rewatchability. I don't like gangster/mobster movies in general anyway!! But I can still enjoy a great one. There are no heroes in this one, certainly no-one to root for (No Elliot Ness in Untouchables) except maybe incoming prosecutor Fred Wyshak (Corey Stoll), who begins the clean up at the FBI. The story is fascinating, although I wish it were done better.
Black Mass grossed $62 million at the domestic box office to end the year to 49th highest grossing movie of 2015. Which is pretty much on par with a movie starring Depp in his pre Captain Jack Sparrow days.