With all the lousy films Johnny Depp’s done for the past decade, it’s about time he turned in another compelling and respectable performance. A lot didn’t like him in Kevin Smith’s Tusk last year, but I thought he gave a good performance and was having a lot of fun in the role. However, he’s aces in this film as the real life Irish American gangster, James “Whitey” Bulger.
The film follows Whitey’s alliance with the FBI that began in 1975, which allowed the Winter Hill Gang’s criminal activity to go unchecked in Boston, MA.
Depp leads a phenomenal ensemble cast in the film. He’s so terrifying and immersed in the role of Whitey, you forget he’s acting. Joel Edgerton turns in another stellar performance this year as John Connolly, an FBI agent and childhood friend of Whitey’s. Connolly’s deep rooted admiration for Whitey allows him to control Boston and compromises the integrity of the Alliance. He genuinely thinks he’s doing the right thing by letting Whitey keep on doing what he’s doing. Essentially, he’s a man on the right side of the law who’s doing wrong. On top of the great acting and directing, the film’s superbly shot, especially the few scenes where Whitey murders in cold blood. You just know from the start that it’s not going to end well for whoever’s involved.
Overall, it’s a damn good film that gives us a compelling look into the life of James “Whitey” Bulger and how his criminal activity affected Boston and the people around him. The future is bright for Depp if he continues to turn in performances like this.
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