Public Enemies (B or 3/4 stars)
During a booming crime wave in the 1930's, the FBI try to take down some notorious gangsters in 'Public Enemies', directed by Michael Mann. This film focuses, however, on legendary Depression-era outlaw John Dillinger (Johnny Depp); a charismatic robber who stole from the bankers, but let the customers keep their $$ (haha). A #1 target on J. Edgar Hoover's (Billy Crudup) wanted list, Dillinger had the smarts & physical ability to dodge most feds, including Hoover's dashing top agent, Melvin Purvis (Christian Bale). Whenever Dillinger was caught (a rarity), he'd often find ways to break out of jail (side note: because the banks had a hand in hurdling America into the Depression, Dillinger was seen as a folk hero to some; similar to a Robin Hood, or a Jesse James, some 50 yrs. prior).
The film begins with an audacious jailbreak from Indiana's State Penitentiary. After Dillinger's escape, he & his gang head to Chicago, where the local mob offers them protection. There (cooling his heels), he meets a French-Canadian coat-check girl, Billie Frechette (Marion Cotillard). She is hesitant of his intentions, but is soon won-over by his roguish charms. All it took was one good pick-up line: "I like baseball, movies, good clothes, fast cars, whiskey, & you". Meanwhile, Hoover & Purvis are chomping at the bit to locate Dillinger; Purvis especially (to solidify his position in the new, but inept Federal Bureau of Investigation). Purvis' early efforts to outwit & outgun Dillinger prove ineffective, but he solemnly learns from his errors & requests of Hoover a stronger, grittier set of feds to help find Dillinger (Hoover had initially wanted only upstanding, clean-cut men to be in the FBI, haha).
What ensues is Dillinger traveling, scheming, robbing, running, getting caught, & breaking out (hit repeat). Things turn ugly however when he returns to his once safe haven of Chicago. The crime syndicates no longer want to help him. In fact, some of them turn to the dark side as informants to Purvis & his men. And his demise actually comes about after being betrayed by his one-time friend, known as 'The Lady in Red'. Dillinger was shot dead at the Biograph Theater on 7/21/34 -- a death that equally fascinated crowds back then as they still do today. There's always a spectacle.
'Public Enemies' is a gorgeous film to watch. Many scenes are shot in the Midwest locations where the actual events occurred. The attention to period detail is so immaculate that you feel you're actually watching events occur in 1933. The sound design is unbelievable. i.e., a 15 minute sequence where Dillinger, his men, & the feds have a massive shoot-out at a Wisconsin lodge. The setting is eerie, the tension is high, & the sound of the Tommy guns going off in the black of night is thunderous. Other scenes of note: 1) after escaping Crown Pointe jail, Dillinger & crew sit at a red traffic light in a stolen car in plain sight of everyone; you think the light will never turn green. 2) While in a movie house, Dillinger watches an on-screen announcement warning the audience to look out for Public Enemy #1; hysterical. And 3) on the eve of his death, Dillinger sees a movie in which a noble outlaw meets his match. The look on Dillinger's face, followed by what actually happens to him outside the theater is just wonderfully realized.
Johnny Depp is quite good as Dillinger, the prince of crime. He's relaxed, assured, & (sometimes) menacing. I wouldn't say this is Depp's finest performance. But you do pull for him; which is what most Americans strangely did at the time, anyway. Billy Crudup is stellar (& humorous) as the hunched, naive Hoover. Christian Bale is very good as the stoic Murvis; quietly desperate to close the Dillinger case. And Marion Cotillard is beguiling as Billie. Hers is a minor role, but she makes the most of it; offering a performance of great sensitivity, vulnerability, and eventual empowerment (when unjustly interrogated by the feds). You can't take your eyes off her, and long for her return whenever she disappears for lengthy parts of the film.
All that said, 'Public Enemies' suffers from a sub-par script. The actors do their part. The technical aspects are exceptional. But the story really could have been told with a little more clarity, compulsion, & substance (when the robberies & shoot-outs aren't going on). There's really nothing to John Dillinger other than his crimes, his girlfriend, & his legacy; no way to dig deeper into the mindset of the man. Many incidents occur, leaving little time to develop anything intriguing about the characters other than the archetypes they represent; particularly the crime fighters. Still, when in the right mood, 'Public Enemies' is an absorbing film; one that is skillfully made, beautiful to look at, & contains historical intrigue (even if not fully realized).
The film begins with an audacious jailbreak from Indiana's State Penitentiary. After Dillinger's escape, he & his gang head to Chicago, where the local mob offers them protection. There (cooling his heels), he meets a French-Canadian coat-check girl, Billie Frechette (Marion Cotillard). She is hesitant of his intentions, but is soon won-over by his roguish charms. All it took was one good pick-up line: "I like baseball, movies, good clothes, fast cars, whiskey, & you". Meanwhile, Hoover & Purvis are chomping at the bit to locate Dillinger; Purvis especially (to solidify his position in the new, but inept Federal Bureau of Investigation). Purvis' early efforts to outwit & outgun Dillinger prove ineffective, but he solemnly learns from his errors & requests of Hoover a stronger, grittier set of feds to help find Dillinger (Hoover had initially wanted only upstanding, clean-cut men to be in the FBI, haha).
What ensues is Dillinger traveling, scheming, robbing, running, getting caught, & breaking out (hit repeat). Things turn ugly however when he returns to his once safe haven of Chicago. The crime syndicates no longer want to help him. In fact, some of them turn to the dark side as informants to Purvis & his men. And his demise actually comes about after being betrayed by his one-time friend, known as 'The Lady in Red'. Dillinger was shot dead at the Biograph Theater on 7/21/34 -- a death that equally fascinated crowds back then as they still do today. There's always a spectacle.
'Public Enemies' is a gorgeous film to watch. Many scenes are shot in the Midwest locations where the actual events occurred. The attention to period detail is so immaculate that you feel you're actually watching events occur in 1933. The sound design is unbelievable. i.e., a 15 minute sequence where Dillinger, his men, & the feds have a massive shoot-out at a Wisconsin lodge. The setting is eerie, the tension is high, & the sound of the Tommy guns going off in the black of night is thunderous. Other scenes of note: 1) after escaping Crown Pointe jail, Dillinger & crew sit at a red traffic light in a stolen car in plain sight of everyone; you think the light will never turn green. 2) While in a movie house, Dillinger watches an on-screen announcement warning the audience to look out for Public Enemy #1; hysterical. And 3) on the eve of his death, Dillinger sees a movie in which a noble outlaw meets his match. The look on Dillinger's face, followed by what actually happens to him outside the theater is just wonderfully realized.
Johnny Depp is quite good as Dillinger, the prince of crime. He's relaxed, assured, & (sometimes) menacing. I wouldn't say this is Depp's finest performance. But you do pull for him; which is what most Americans strangely did at the time, anyway. Billy Crudup is stellar (& humorous) as the hunched, naive Hoover. Christian Bale is very good as the stoic Murvis; quietly desperate to close the Dillinger case. And Marion Cotillard is beguiling as Billie. Hers is a minor role, but she makes the most of it; offering a performance of great sensitivity, vulnerability, and eventual empowerment (when unjustly interrogated by the feds). You can't take your eyes off her, and long for her return whenever she disappears for lengthy parts of the film.
All that said, 'Public Enemies' suffers from a sub-par script. The actors do their part. The technical aspects are exceptional. But the story really could have been told with a little more clarity, compulsion, & substance (when the robberies & shoot-outs aren't going on). There's really nothing to John Dillinger other than his crimes, his girlfriend, & his legacy; no way to dig deeper into the mindset of the man. Many incidents occur, leaving little time to develop anything intriguing about the characters other than the archetypes they represent; particularly the crime fighters. Still, when in the right mood, 'Public Enemies' is an absorbing film; one that is skillfully made, beautiful to look at, & contains historical intrigue (even if not fully realized).