On a high

Rating: 8/10 (4 July 2010)

The most awaited film of the year, Public Enemies, is a Michael Mann crime film. None among his peers are as adept at making crime dramas (with a particular tendency towards bank heists) as Mann. With films like Manhunter, Heat and Collateral Mann has established himself as a master of this genre. His latest, Public Enemies harks back to the time of the 1931-34 crime wave at its peak during the Depression Era, now dubbed the Public Enemy Era.
A discussion of the film hinges entirely on two novelties here. Filmed with a High Definition camera (Dante Spinotti), the cinematography alternates between whirlwinds of activity - almost as if trying to keep track of the heady and adrenaline-filled periods in the lives of John Dillinger and the other Public Enemies, and shots of the principal characters from close quarters, again coming across as attempts to gain admission. The second stems from the fact that Mann's film is based on a non-fiction book Public Enemies: America's Greatest Crime Wave and the Birth of the FBI, 1933-34 by Brian Burrrough. It shows. The play of events on screen feels factual. The drama is very much present but lacks the choices-conflicts-decisions that made Heat and Collateral memorable, partly because the characters here are historical and we know what eventually happened to each of them. They are novelties for sure. A step forward for cinema in that this can serve as a model for dramatizing whilst documenting slices of history. As a result though, the nature of the participatory viewing the movie elicits is primarily of a technical nature, an invitation to be part of the ride. This has its bearing on every other aspect of the film.
The leads Johnny Depp and Christian Bale are perfect for their parts. Depp's John Dillinger is as steeped in fact as the film itself and benefits considerably from the tone of the film, designed to make the audience react to his character in much the same way that America did. The role requires him to be a star on-screen and fully conscious of it. A suave Depp pulls this off with aplomb; his every exploit is achieved with a swagger. That he fleshes out the other aspects of Dillinger is credit both to him and the script. Bale meanwhile, adds his reliability to the film, playing Melvin Purvis in a manner that isn't as straight- forward as seems. It is a consummate performance from an actor whose portrayals never overshadow his films and who seems to be an ace with accents, both traits prevalent here. Marion Cotillard is a different proposition from her turn in La Vie En Rose. In keeping with the Mann tradition, a supporting cast is well picked and delivers performances that don't sink with the weight of the leads. Elliot Goldenthal, whose score for Heat garnered praise, captures the thrill of the heists and the getaways. However, the score suffers from banality when the narrative lapses into drama.
Ultimately, Public Enemies' experimental nature makes it difficult for it to be judged completely now. In all likelihood, it might turn out to be a film that grows with time with certain aspects gaining greater acceptance in the future. I'm tempted to say bravo Mann.