Johnny Depp is electrifying as famed crime boss.

Rating: 9/10 (24 September 2015)

Fantastic. Johnny Depp is absolutely at his best as Boston crime figure James "Whitie" Bulger. Depp is smoldering, menacing and terrifying. Bulger terrified his enemies as well as his friends. Hell, sit in the audience terrified. For about a dozen years, the only person the FBI wanted more was Osama bin Laden. This movie progresses through flashbacks of narration from Bulger's former associates, who have already served their time and in witness protection.
BLACK MASS is based on true facts that transpired in the 1970's and '80s. Bulger on the rise as crime boss of Boston's south side ends up in an unholy alliance with FBI agent John Connolly(Joel Edgerton), who grew up admiring "Whitie" in the old neighborhood. They both wanted to take down the Italian Mafia controlling crime on Boston's north side. Why not feed each other information. Making the whole situation debatable...was Bulger an FBI informant or not? William Bulger(Benedict Cumberbatch), is a state senator that manages to keep his hands clean of most doings past and present in the old neighborhood. John Martorano(W. Earl Brown)was a go to man, when things had to be taken care of...you know what I mean. Then of course, there were times when it was some "hands on" by "Whitey". A pressuring FBI boss Charles McQuire(Kevin Bacon) becomes suspicious of Connolly's work...and soon dominoes begin to fall. Out comes deeply buried information concerning racketeering, drug dealing and murder, many murders. James Bulger goes on the run hiding in plain sight.
Brutal violence and thick vulgar language throughout. This true biopic is held together with a super soundtrack featuring the likes of: The Animals, The Allman Brothers Band, Fleetwood Mac, Joe Walsh, Blondie, and The Rolling Stones.
The powerful cast also includes: Jesse Plemons, Rory Cochrane, Dakota Johnson, Julianne Nicholson, Peter Sarsgaard and Juno Temple.