Impressive crime thriller

Rating: 8/10 (4 January 2016)

'Black Mass' reminded me of two things.
One: Martin Scorsese's 'The Departed'. Also set in South Boston, also about the ties between the Boston crime scene and law enforcement agencies, also focusing on the characters of two men. The difference is that 'The Departed' is about infiltration, and 'Black Mass' is about cooperation.
Two: the so-called IRT-affair, a scandal that shocked the Netherlands in the nineties. Police forces had knowingly turned a blind eye on large scale cocaine smuggling, hoping to get information in return. After a parliamentary inquiry had uncovered the scandal, investigation methods were changed thoroughly.
In 'Black Mass', the Boston branch of the FBI gets involved in a similar affair. It's based on true events, involving the close ties between FBI agent John Connolly and crime lord James 'Whitey' Bulger. Both men grew up in the streets of South Boston, developing an unwritten code of honour that served them both well.
The movie shows excellently how both men are slowly stretching the limits they are prepared to cross. Connolly knows he goes too far by protecting a murderer and drugs trader, but goes on regardlessly, driven by his code of honour and above all his ego and burning ambition. Bulger, on the other hand, at first is hesitant about cooperating with the FBI, but tells himself it is alright because it is a business alliance instead of an information exchange.
Some reviewers complain that this is a crime movie without crime. That's true, but that is exactly why I liked this film. It is about the psychological development of two men, who are not really friends, but use each other in their mutual interest. The film shows very convincingly how they are slowly but surely digging their own grave.
The performances are great. Johnny Depp's portrayal of the ice cold psychopath and manipulator Bulger is Oscar material. But Joel Edgerton is just as impressive as the streetwise and egotistical FBI agent John Connolly.
The pacing and the structure of the film are just right. There are some interesting side stories, such as Bulger's relationship with his brother, the politician Billy Bulger, and the death of his baby son. Also, the respective wives of Connolly and Bulger get some interesting screen time. But overall, the story keeps focused on the downward spiral, caused by the cooperation between the two men.
Director Scott Cooper is no Scorsese, of course. But nevertheless, this film is an impressive, well-made and entertaining crime thriller.