Not America's Most Wanted

Rating: 7/10 (31 December 2009)

On paper, "Public Enemies" looks like a promising venture. Fans of Michael Mann's "Heat" know that he can spin an engaging crime yarn and with Johnny Depp & Christian Bale in major roles it seems like a can't miss. Unfortunately, this exploration of John Dillinger's life in crime comes up short.
Johnny Depp can't be faulted here as he capably carries the film. The film also features good work from the other stars (Christian Bale & Marion Cotillard) along with solid support from the rest of the large cast, including Billy Crudup, among others.
Where the film falters is in the script. The story is somewhat overlong and meandering and I also find that it treats Dillinger too favourably while not really capturing what made him tick. It's certainly less compelling than, say, Arthur Penn's romanticization of Bonnie & Clyde.
Michael Mann's direction is well done, though, and the film is quite nice to look at. Musically, the film doesn't really stand out but that's not a major concern.
In the end, "Public Enemies" is a decent gangster flick that falls short of expectations. Depp's performance and Mann's direction make the film worth watching but they only offer a taste of what could have been.