Very worthwhile, especially with Depp as the star and Bale, Cotillard & Crudup offering great support

Rating: 8/10 (8 July 2009)

John Dillinger (Johnny Depp) is very adept at robbing banks in the 1930's. He and his closest friends have done well, so well that they have a definite swagger in their steps. And, since they have executed successful jailbreaks a time or two, their skills are formidable. Naturally, this is most upsetting to the young director of the FBI, J.Edgar Hoover (Billy Crudup), compounded by the fact that there are no laws to cover the crossing of state lines during a crime spree. But, JEH will press on. Enlisting the services of one very determined G-man, Melvin Purvis (Christian Bale), Hoover assembles his gang of "go-to" guys. In the meanwhile, John has spotted a beautiful but poor gal in Chicago, Billie (Marion Cotillard) and insists that she become his woman. Bowing to his looks, wealth, and charm, she accepts his advances and the couple enjoys a brief interlude of romance. But, money does run out and John & Co. have to plan their next heists. They even join forces with Babyface Nelson for awhile. Can the "public enemy" criminals escape the hand of the law forever? This is a very worthwhile film, especially for those who love action, gun battles and history. The casting of Depp as Dillinger is terrific, making it difficult to see anyone else in this role. But, Bale, Cotillard, Crudup, Leelee Sobieski, and all of the others are quite fine, too. Then, too, the re-creation of the Depression Era deserves much praise, for the sets, costumes, camera work, script, dialogue and direction all work well to fashion this bygone time in American history. One small comment to add is that it is pretty violent, so if you don't like a bit of blood and guts, stay away. But, then, its not excessively gory, either. Therefore, while it may not be the best film of 2009, it is hard to imagine anyone not being enthralled Public Enemies.