Dillinger, A New Twist?

Rating: Null/10 (14 August 2011)

"It took me two year to finally see this Film." I intended on seeing it upon release but stayed away because of a few negative reviews. Overall, I recommend this Film but with some reservation. There is somewhat of a thematic afterthought to glamorize this notorious gangster and that I cannot recommend. To rob banks and to murder in some of our (USA) most depressing times and to be idolized decades later is without question, a biographical error in Filmmaking and in judgment. There are also chronological errors as well as the fact that Pretty Boy Floyd times had not yet ended and Purvis (Bale) is given credit for his death by Dillinger (Depp). Now I realize that with three credited screenwriter's including the Film's Director, you would think somebody would have the correct factual research. Also, Gene Autry's stardom and music was not around until the 1930's but I won't quivel about that. The cast is great, Bale is really strong and Depp finds a way to make us think this man had at least some kind of heavy heart. The editing is choppy aka; Michael Mann style and there is even some modern music thrown in for effect. The problem is, this film and story as true has can be did not need to be edgy or at that matter a new-age gangster picture... what it needed is simply to honor the facts in the case. We know now the woman in red actually had a orange dress so if they had that research you would think the filmmakers had actual Chicago Police and FBI files to work from. The Production Design is excellent but for whatever reason, there is a purposely left out the society of people that smoked, drank heavily and were in the middle of a depression. For Michael Mann's the Film is actually tame aside from his realistic violence. I just wish his realism could reach to the people that are the subject of his Films. The G-Men are portrayed as usual babbling idiots and the gangsters are the typical dark underworld types. For the Dillinger conspiracy theory folks out there, you won't like this film but for myself that wanted to know more about Purvis's motives to get Public Ememy number one, it did satisfy my craving there.