Too much for Mann to handle

Rating: Null/10 (10 July 2009)

I thought it was o.k., that's all. Now that Pacino, De Niro and Jack Nicholson seem to only be playing parodies of themselves Johnny Depp seems to be the only actor left who can be counted on for an interesting performance. Jimmy Russo and Lili Taylor show up in small roles and it's always good to see them. Russo can really sell that desperate, lonely and pain filled look that cries out for mercy like a cornered dog.
It drags at times, the films pace is off, but Mann isn't Marty Scorsese. The best scene is the night time shoot out between the Gansters and the Fed's at the lodge. In real life Baby Face Nelson didn't die there, so the films not high on reality and disregards truth for drama.
The thing I don't understand is why Christian Bale keeps getting jobs. He doesn't act, and I feel embarrassed for him as he keeps trying to find a facial expression or a voice characterization. In the beginning of the film I thought he was trying to do President Obama's speech phrasing. That's alright though I don't understand why Matthew McConaughey and Nicolas Cage keep getting work either. It's a good thing that there is little interaction between Bale and Depp, when they are in the same scene Bale becomes invisible as Depp acts him into oblivion.
If you love Depp see it, if you like him go see another one of his films. If it's John Dillinger you crave go see the 1973 Warren Oats film Dillinger, he even looks more like Dillinger.