A Gripping Story Anchored by Brilliant Performances From Depp and Edgerton

Rating: 8/10 (20 September 2015)

Black Mass tells the true tale of James "Whitey" Bulger's rise and fall with his gang in the streets of South Boston. In a war for territory, Bulger (Johnny Depp) and FBI agent John Connolly (Joel Edgerton) create an unlikely alliance to take down an opposing Mafia family. As the story unfolds, each side is tested in how far they are willing to go to keep their relationship with one another.
Director Scott Cooper brings out the best in all of his actors and perfectly captures not only the cold blooded essence of Bulger, but also the feeling of dread in South Boston during the time. The biggest selling points for this movie are actors Johnny Depp and Joel Edgerton, whose performance should easily be deserving of an Academy Award. However, others like Jesse Plemmons, Dakota Johnson, and Benedict Cumberbatch, while underused, manage to make the most of the time given to them.
At roughly 2 hours, Black Mass does not overstay its welcome, in fact I believe it could have been longer and gone even more in depth as to the inner-workings of Jimmy Bulger's mob. From a technical standpoint, the movie was terrific as well. The cinematography was enthralling, the score enhanced the emotion of every scene, the editing was serviceable, but didn't detract from the movie in any way. The last part I will mention is possibly on par with the performances, the script. It was magnetic, and beautifully highlighted every aspect of every character.
The greatest comparison I can make of this move is that of last year's Foxcatcher, brilliantly performed, moving at a deliberate pace, and with horribly detached, yet irresistibly engaging characters.
Overall, while it doesn't reinvent the mob picture like Goodfellas, (nor does it try to) Black Mass is an incredibly solid and flawlessly acted portrayal of one of the United States' most notorious gangsters in history.
"It's not about what you do, it's about where you do it and when."