Outstanding Film Noir

Rating: 10/10 (6 July 2009)

This was an excellent gangster drama, lead by Johnny Depp as John Dillinger with an outstanding supporting cast of fellow gangsters and desperadoes, but what really made the film work were the "G" Men pursuing Dillinger. Christian Bale was perfectly cast as "G" Man Melvin Purvis, who ran the Chicago Office of the FBI. Billy Crudup was also great as J. Edgar Hoover, portrayed as a ruthless administrator willing to stoop to any depth to catch Dillinger, including rounding up family members and deporting friends of Dillinger unless they were willing to cooperate. None of the Oliver Stone fantasies about Hoover in a dress, but the Hoover who ran the Department with an iron fist.
The supporting cast of Dillinger's fellow gangsters is too long to list, but mention should be made of Marion Cotillard who played Dillingers girlfriend Billie Frechette. She proved that her winning the Oscar for Best Actress (Le Vie en Rose) was no fluke.
Michael Mann deserves an Oscar nomination for Best Director and possibly Screenplay (he co-wrote).
A great film, possibly the best gangster movie ever. Don't miss this one.