A first class shoot 'em up!

Rating: Null/10 (3 July 2009)

Someone once said that Johnny Depp never met a weird part he didn't like. He has done so well at playing oddballs like Edward Scissorhands, the cross dressing director Ed Wood and even Willie Wonka. Its so nice to know that he can play a normal part well as he sure does in this film. Michael Mann is one of the most brilliant directors of our time, he has directed such classics as Thief, Manhunter and Heat. He triumphs once again in this brilliant film that runs circles around any other shoot em up. It is 1934 and the FBI declares war on public enemy #1 John Dillinger. They pointed out in the "goofs" section of the IMDb entry on this film that Mann carelessly made many errors with history. For example, the movie opens with Pretty Boy Floyd being killed by FBI agents. Floyd actually wasn't killed until several months after Dillinger (he took Dillinger's place as Public Enemy #1). They have Baby Face Nelson doing a Jimmy Cagney impression from Angels With Dirty Faces which wasn't made until 1938! However, this is such a fine film these are just minor quibbles. Depp gives a fine performance and makes John D. out as a lovable rogue. Yes he is a bank robber, but you sort of root for him. For example, there's a scene where he tells a bank customer during a robbery not to give him his money that he just wants the banks and another where he is tenderly polite to a lady he took hostage. I wouldn't be surprised if Depp gets an Oscar nod for his work. I hope Mann gets one as best director for it is long overdue. The only trouble I have with this film is Christian Bail as Melvin Purvis. I wanted Purvis to be played just as charismatically as they played Dillinger. After all your supposed to be rooting for him. Simply put, Depp acts circles around Bail. This man is just so bland and boring its almost as if he is sleepwalking thru his part.