Black Mass (2015) Review

Boston is a place in America where cool criminals are born and die. Just after selling the rights to their story.

Most of my favourite recents films happen in Boston. In fact, I can’t think of a recent event in Boston that hasn’t entertained me immensely.

I knew a fair bit about Whitey Bulger before watching Black Mass. More than I knew about James Bond going into Spectre. A mass-murdering, sociopath who made a career built on violence. And then there’s Whitey Bulger.

Johnny Depp plays Whitey, changing his appearance as to be almost unrecognisable. As stipulated in any movie contract Depp signs on for. He has thinning hair, a pallid complexion and the least convincing contact lenses since Twilight.

Black Mass is standard gangster film fare. Not a Terry Crewes endorsed sports supplement as you would expect. It follows Whitey’s rise from mid-level thug to untouchable crime kingpin by way of FBI informant. But it feels fresh. It doesn’t particularly glamourise Bulger. Despite the coolest leather jacket wearing since The Fonz.

The film opens with Jesse Plemons turning government witness against Whitey, and is interspersed throughout with various cohorts giving statements against their boss. The first few scenes follow Plemons and it appeared that as Whitey’s right hand man, he would be our window into this world. This isn’t so, as after the first few scenes Plemons is barely featured. Probably due to scheduling issues as he strives to honour his agreement to appear in everything committed to film in 2015.

Given the opening it’s fairly predictable how things play out for Whitey and the White Hill gang. But it’s an enjoyable, violent ride and it’s good to see Depp play something other an effeminate weirdo that you wouldn’t want looking after your kids.

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