Black Mass (Scott Cooper, 2015): USA

Reviewed by Phill Hunziker. Viewed at the Paseo Nuevo Theatre, SB.

James “Whitey” Bulger is a complex man whose intensity and vile actions restrict you from having any sympathy for him. That’s not to say you won’t witness the few sheds of humanity he possesses, it’s just that those will be overshadowed by the many sights of him ruthlessly murdering people. The notorious gangster shouldn’t have many fans and this film reinforces that by condemning rather than glorifying his actions and demeanor. However, don’t expect this to be an easy ride; a spectacle you can witness comfortably knowing that ultimately Mr. Bulger and his cohorts don’t live happily ever after. In fact, you will be attacked, you will feel conflicted and you will not be rewarded with justice. Knowing that this is based on a true story, it is extremely difficult to not feel even slightly guilty for being entertained at the victims’ expense. Yet, you will be glued to your seat thanks to a gripping A-grade filmmaking effort. Risen above its cluttered but powerful narrative by an outstanding cast and director Scott Cooper’s extraordinarily gritty vision, Black Mass creates a cold blue world you won’t be able to pull yourself away from.

The story is set in 1975 South Boston and revolves around the 20 year rise and rule of ruthless gangster and leader of the infamous White Hill gang, Whitey Bulger (Johnny Depp). As pressure builds up on both Bulger and his childhood friend and FBI agent John Connolly (Joel Edgerton) within their respective situations, the two strike an informant-protector type partnership. Connolly expects Bulger, a man who never has been one to play nice, to play nice; no crime, no killing. Naturally, crime and killing ensue and the long chess match that uses “southie” as its battleground takes victims left and right, tests loyalties and ultimately scars the images of the FBI and South Boston. The film has a large array of complex characters, starting with some of the other loyal members of the White Hill gang such as Stephen “The Rifleman” Flemmi (Rory Cochrane), Kevin Weeks (Jesse Plemons) and hitman Johnny Martorano (W. Earl Brown). On the FBI side of things, Connolly must advance his relationship with Bulger by manipulating his pushover cohort John Morris (David Harbour), and hold off his aggressively cautious boss Charles Macguire (Kevin Bacon) and the ultra-sarcastic Robert Fitzpatrick (Adam Scott). With additional supporting characters such as Bulger’s charming Senator brother William “Billy” Bulger (Benedict Cumberbatch) and Connolly’s reasonable wife Marianne (Julianne Nicholson), Black Mass establishes itself as a true character-driven film supported by the cruel world established around them.

The film is bolstered by Johnny Depp’s best performance since Sweeney Todd by far, save for maybe Public Enemies. As engaging as he is deflecting, Depp begs you to hate him. While hints of humanity creep out of his war-torn shell, he follows those glimpses of hope with cold-blooded viscousness. Depp stated in an interview with IGN last year that he wanted to capture both sides of the story, Bulger’s and the victims’ families’, Explaining that it is “not as easy as good and evil”. The balance between Bulger’s villainy and humanity is ingeniously established (about a 4:1 ratio), accomplishing a make-or-break goal for the film. However, an odd mood is set as a result, where it is not sure whether we are supposed to identify and become emotionally involved with this character, or whether we should simply remain as curious spectators of the mayhem. The latter seems to be the case and is further reinforced by the large amount of characters that require attention as well. Biopics present a certain level of difficulty in balancing narrative focus between the central character and the supporting characters. Additionally, most characters in this film possess the same good versus evil complexity as Bulger, albeit to a smaller degree. Because of this, the already cluttered narrative that is strained by having to jam pack 20 years into less than two hours cannot successfully develop many of the intriguing supporting characters. John Connolly, who you may end up despising the most, receives his fair share of development. However, Whitey’s brother Billy is presented rather than elaborated on, as is Connolly’s wife Marianne. The polarizing White Hill gang members receive extensive exposure in the beginning as they tell their stories retrospectively but seem almost entirely forgotten by the end. The FBI members also are prominent throughout the film until the end, where they’re merely a footnote. With this story nearly exclusively based on Bulger and Connolly, this is to be expected. However, this narrative dilemma no doubt muddles the flow of the film and may leave you feeling just a tad bit hungry for more.

Moral and narrative complexity issues aside, Black Mass is worth your paid viewing. A world so dark and blue (literally) inhabited by creatures worthy of both disdain and admiration is more than enough to keep you engaged as you’re being constantly reminded not to be involved. Appropriately made to establish the audience as guilty spectators rather than guests with skin in the game, this film indulges in crime biopic and thriller elements to create its own unique tone and impact. Black Mass’s world will heavily scrutinize many of your preconceived notions regarding good versus evil and the defining virtues we hold prominent as a society. Most notably, the complex concept of loyalty is tested, challenged and ultimately proven to be subjective. After all, it was the loyalty of John Connolly to Whitey Bulger that allowed this 20-year nightmare for South Boston to come to fruition.


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