John Dillinger Finally Is Presented Accurately

Rating: 9/10 (14 December 2009)

John Dillinger is one of the gangsters of the thirties who captured the hearts of Depression-era Americans and still does. He represented the people's hate of the banks and lawmen. John Dillinger was also a charismatic Indiana farm boy, who people weren't used to in the 1930s.
Michael Mann's latest masterpiece is another film about cops and criminals but this time based on a true story. This is about the 13 months of fame that John Herbert Dillinger (Johnny Depp) reigned before his death outside of the Chicago Biograph theater on July 22, 1934. The film also follows the story of Special Agent Melvin Purvis (Christian Bale) as he hunts down the charming bank robber in the Depression-era Midwest.
Johnny Depp's performance in Public Enemies is something else and Christian Bale is also very good. Depp's portrayal of Dillinger is more realistic and true to history that Warren Oates in the (also great) 1973 film, simply titled "Dillinger". The movie has cinematography and a soundtrack that totally blew me away. Also, Marion Cotillard's performance as John Dillinger's sweetheart Billie Frechette broke my heart.
Michael Mann still has not left his ability to create atmosphere in his films. Heat and Manhunter are other examples of his great atmospheric masterpieces. He is back now with this exciting film.
The only real complaint I have it right below: The film focuses so much on John Dillinger that it doesn't seem to tell anything about the true causes of J. Edgar Hoover's (Billy Croodup) War on Crime or other criminals of the era. The other criminals I would like to have seen more of include Baby Face Nelson (Stephen Graham), Alvin Karpis (Giovanni Ribsi) and Pretty Boy Floyd (Channing Tatum). The Kansas City Massacre is also something that needed to be told about because this is a key event in the connecting history of the Public Enemy Era.
Overall, Public Enemies is probably the best film I have seen so far this year and I don't expect to see better.
10/10