Black Mass is a gritty, dark, biopic on one of the most notorious gangster to ever live,James "Whitey" Bulger. Depp is back with a Oscar worthy act!

Rating: 8/10 (18 September 2015)

I would lie if I said I didn't have huge expectations from a film like Black Mass, the trailer was outstanding, the films cast boasts of actors like Johnny Depp,Joel Edgerton,Benedict Cumberbatch, and Kevin Bacon.The film had everything going for it, it was a masterpiece in the making. And did Black Mass ever meet those expectations,I mean don't get me wrong the film probably is not a masterpiece, but its easily one of the finest films, you will see this year. From the word go a dark eerie atmosphere is created in the film, and its maintained throughout. James "Whitey" Bulger easily becomes that one character you hate to love, and its all thanks to Johnny Depp's Oscar worthy performance, he has made a comeback like never before after many flop films, his performance alone is worth the ticket price of the film. I mean Black Mass is not as good but can easily be compared too gangster flicks like the Departed,Goodfellas made by Ace filmmaker Martin Scorsese, and thats saying a lot because those films are masterpieces, decade defining films. Black Mass is a gritty, dark, biopic on one of the most notorious gangster to ever live,James "Whitey" Bulger.
Story wise the film is a biopic on the rise and fall of the Irish mob boss James "Whitey" Bulger, better know as Jimmy.Jimmy was involved in almost any criminal activity a person could name, from money laundering, to racketeering,murder, extortion,trafficking drugs, terrorism,etc you name it. The film starts off with members of his Irish mob, the main members turning informants and telling the story of how Jimmy became such a big gangster when at one point he was a nobody. The film talks about how Jimmy's younger brother Billy was a state Senator, a very affluent person in the southern Boston area. An area which Jimmy wanted under his control but the Italian mob was in his way. After a series of events Jimmy is introduced to James Connolly a former childhood friend, now turned FBI agent. He makes a deal with Jimmy that he can continue doing whatever he does, if he provides info on how to arrest the Italian mob, Jimmy looks at this to his advantage, and doesn't consider this snitching because he would not be ratting out anybody he is associated with. This deal somehow leads to James "Whitey" Bulger becoming the biggest gangster in America in the 70s, and 80s, and it also lead to him being on the FBI's top 10 most wanted list, how this happened is what forms the rest of the films story.
Acting wise, as I stated before Johnny Depp has given a Oscar worthy performance in Black Mass, as James "Whitey" Bulger. He plays the dark character so menacingly, that at times you feel that Johnny is actual Whitey, and thats the highest praise any actor can get. Depp has hit it out of the ball park. On the other hand Joel Edgerton is on a roll with great performances, after the Gift, he has given another amazing act. Benedict Cumberbatch is good in his brief appearance. The rest of the ensemble cast is apt.
Black Mass is a film that doesn't have any huge negatives,I mean you could look at the films pace and say that its slow, but for this type of film you need that type of pace, the screenplay could have been a little more novel, because at times, it does feel like the film is taking the route most gangster films do, but I mean as I mentioned on the onset the film is no masterpiece. However the director Scott Copper needs to applauded for getting the atmosphere right in the film, and never wavering away from the films true story. Nothing is glamorized in the film,Black Mass feels like a real, gritty drama.
Overall I won't say much more other than if you want to see one of the years best films,head to a theater near you because Johnny Depp's performance alone is worth the ticket price the rest is a bonus in Black Mass. A must watch for people who enjoy films about the Mob and gangster flicks.
4/5* or 8.5/10