Gripping biopic complete with an outstanding performance by Johnny Depp

Rating: 8/10 (20 September 2015)

In the height of Oscar Season, Johnny Depp brings what might be his most outstanding performance of his career in this biopic drama of the one of America's most notorious gangsters in history. Depp plays James "Whitey" Bulger, an Irish mob boss in South Boston in the 70s and 80s, who stops at nothing to take down a group of Italian mafias that wreak havoc in this town. His violent duty leads him into jeopardy when he becomes a prime target of the FBI, with no one to trust but his childhood friend John Connolly (played by Joel Edgerton) who becomes a prime figure in the FBI. Benedict Cumberbatch plays Billy Bulger, his younger brother who works as the state senator. This film also features of the likeness of Kevin Bacon, Peter Sarsgood, Jesse Plemens, Rory Cochrane, Adam Scott, and David Harbour. This is directed by Scott Cooper who did Crazy Hear (2009 and Out of The Furnace (2013).
To be honest, this film does not rise in the level of Martin Scorsese's works such as Goodfellas (1990), Casino (1995), and The Departed (2006), it certainly has the feel of a classic mafia crime- drama film. The movie does its best on giving a gritty and violent portrayal of the gangster life as well as criminal underworld in Boston, similar to what Martin Scorsese showed in The Departed. James Bulger is shown be very violent and unflinchingly ruthless as he murders a large number of people, whether it is from shooting, torturing, or strangling. Nearly everything he does in this movie is unpredictable and shocking. There are many scenes with him that shocked me to the core, then other scenes that left me at the edge of my seat. Bulger is very powerful and mind-blowing character bringing a grim atmosphere to the story, and Johnny Depp is definitely brings him to life. Depp does a fantastic job at adding suspense and chills in this character, and he makes him so believable. I did, however, find the makeup done on his character to be somewhat distracting. While it does make almost unrecognizable, it certainly didn't take away from the outstanding performance he delivers. Joel Edgerton, who plays John Connolly also brings an terrific performance as Bulger's childhood friend who hides the secret of his dirty work. Another great aspect of the film is how it runs at a steady pace and always keeps the story alive, even when the pacing seems to slow down.
Black Mass is certainly isn't a groundbreaking picture for the crime genre, but it is a movie that definitely deserves the attention of many. Johnny Depp's performance is fantastic and has a strong possibility of landing him an Oscar nomination. I believe this film will land several Oscar nomination including Best Picture.