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[Toothless]

A confident and nasty film with impressive performances from a starry cast, Scott Cooper’s Black Mass is a big, brash, horribly watchable gangster picture taken from an extraordinary true story and conceived on familiar generic lines.

- Peter Bradshaw, The Guardian

Johnny Depp does career-best work as notorious Boston gangster James 'Whitey' Bulger in Scott Cooper's taut, elegantly understated crime drama.

- Scott Foundas, Variety

Depp shines in a solid gangster biopic. Even if director Scott Cooper's jump into big-time studio filmmaking feels familiar and derivative in some respects, he has taken care to borrow only from the best, and a top-notch cast socks over the many dramatic opportunities.

- Todd McCarthy, Variety

This is Depp bringing his skills to the table as a man with a propensity for being both terrifying and charming, often switching between the two on a dime.

- Alfonso Duralde, The Wrap

Black Mass turns Aviator shades and a receding hairline into one hell of a scary combo.

- Lee Marshall, Screen International

Fascinating and repellant, but nothing new.

- Jo-Anne Titsmarsh, HeyUGuys

I wasn't interested until the excellent final trailer. Now these reviews seem to signify that this is actually good, which is exciting to me.

EDIT: Shit, can a mod edit the "Review" to "Reviews" and remove that awkward space after Bulger before the comma? I feel really stupid for having such an easy to fix typo in the title.

 

[Maninthemirror]

so Depp will be nominated and this movie will be forgotten

 

[maxcriden]

Fascinating and repellant, but nothing new.

Kinda concerned this is going to just glorify Bulger to a lot of audiences. That's been my concern from the jump so I don't know that these reviews allay that at all.

 

[smokeandmirrors]

Saw a trailer for it last night where it didnt list the actors so im surprised to learn that the main character is Depp.

looks interesting.

 

[Discotheque]

Don't care for scott cooper but Depp looks amazing in this. So I'm definitely watching for him

I don't expect too much from the film but i was hoping the performance would be great at least

 

[Philippo]

A good Depp movie? Color me interested

 

[SJRB]

Good lord, how long has it been since Depp had a positively reviewed movie?

Good for him.

 

[maxcriden]

A good Depp movie? Color me interested

I was going to argue, but man...looking at his recent filmography does not provide me with much in the way of counterpoints. :/

http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000136/?ref_=fn_al_nm_1

Dang. I was sure he'd been in more quality movies the past 10 years.

 

[NerdEyeBlind]

Sounds like the third in Depp's Criminal Trilogy

- Donnie Brasco
- Blow
- Black Mass

Now that's good marathon of movies

 

[Fudgepuppy]

Sounds great, really looking forward to it.

 

[triplestation]

this sure doesnt look like no fogazze

 

[DoktorEvil]

Kinda concerned this is going to just glorify Bulger to a lot of audiences. That's been my concern from the jump so I don't know that these reviews allay that at all.

That didn't happen with Public Enemies. Depp has nailed the screen gangster vibe well.

 

[subrock]

fuck I hate Depp so much. Might have to choke him down if this is actually good

 

[triplestation]

normally johnny depp is dressed like a tumblr doll and thrown into a movie but in this he looks more like a real person

 

[UnforgivenTwin]

Great to see the positive reviews so far. Definitely interested in checking it out even more now

 

[Alpende]

Good to see Depp is great in a normal role again.

Really looking forward to seeing this.

 

[Sanjuro]

Sounds like the third in Depp's Criminal Trilogy

- Donnie Brasco
- Blow
- Black Mass

Now that's good marathon of movies

You forgot the Michael Mann classic, Public Enemies.

 

[maquiladora]

Nice. Loved the trailers.

 

[Jarrod38]

Knew it was going to be a good movie.

 

[Mifune]

What's up with the terrible makeup, though?

 

[Discotheque]

That didn't happen with Public Enemies. Depp has nailed the screen gangster vibe well.

True, movie was off for me but there were glimpses of a damn good dillinger in that movie. That scene in the theater or when he's in the police station were so good

I think he's nailed the old school 50s gangster movie acting better than most

 

[OricWindstar]

I was going to argue, but man...looking at his recent filmography does not provide me with much in the way of counterpoints. :/

http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000136/?ref_=fn_al_nm_1

Dang. I was sure he'd been in more quality movies the past 10 years.

I think the last thing he was in I cared about was Rango.

 

[David Incorporated Esq.]

Depp is so weird, the guy is an incredible actors but chooses the most bizarre roles.

Also, Sweeney Todd rules hard. I watched it not knowing it was going to be a musical and holy shit. Loved it.

 

[maxcriden]

That didn't happen with Public Enemies. Depp has nailed the screen gangster vibe well.

It's not Depp I'm concerned about. Also, there was a police protag in that film, too. I think Michael Mann has known nuance and restraint, though.

I think the last thing he was in I cared about was Rango.

I cared about that one, too. I cared about how terrible it was.

 

[True Savior]

Scott Copper is a terrific director. I would be very surprised if the movie wouldn't be at least decent.

 

[AgeEighty]

But how's the accent? Because holy fuck is Hollywood bad at pulling off that accent.

 

[jett]

Seems like Depp finally gave a rat's ass.

 

[Odoul]

Sorta conflicted.

I love crime stories as much as the next guy. But this flick DOES seem like it's putting a guy that was a pretty big piece of shit on a pedestal.

I just get the feeling this thing is gonna have a much more unpleasant tone than others of it's ilk.

 

[oc]

89%

http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/black_mass_2015/

 

[Gordon Shumway]

I just really hate his eyes..they distract the shit out of me in every trailer. I mean, I HOPE it's good..just saying.

 

[ChubbyHuggs]

So is Johnny Depp Joe Pesci in this?

 

[overcast]

Might be worth watching to see Depp care about acting.

 

[balgajo]

I'm in!
Apparently just november in Brazil....


The last movie from him that I really liked was Sweeney Todd.

 

[karasu]

Johnny Depp is watchable in anything. I care not for the haters.

 

[Mad Season]

A good Depp movie? Color me interested

what about Ed Wood?

 

[ThankYouDaletech]

Boston GAF, where is the most townie-ish movie theater around here so I can listen to Sully and Fitzy react to this movie?

 

[glow]

I just really hate his eyes..they distract the shit out of me in every trailer. I mean, I HOPE it's good..just saying.

Yeah it is really weird seeing a dark-haired brown eyed Italian looking guy playing a balding blue eyed blonde haired Irish guy. I'm sure he nails the role but he sure doesn't look the part.

 

[Sanjuro]

Morning radio guys are skewering Depp a bit. During the premiere the other night he made a comment "The families of his victims could say he is just an evil person, I don't believe that exists."

He was largely talking about getting into the role, but still amusing.

 

[Currygan]

Might be worth watching to see Depp care about acting.

.

 

[strafer]

did they cgi him walking over the sidewalk?

 

[Sanjuro]

Here is an article on it.

http://www.wcvb.com/entertainment/whitey-bulger-movie-to-be-screened-in-massachusetts/35280152

 

[DarknessTear]

Here is an article on it.

http://www.wcvb.com/entertainment/whitey-bulger-movie-to-be-screened-in-massachusetts/35280152

Those are some strange quotes from Depp. Huh.

 

[Sanjuro]

Those are some strange quotes from Depp. Huh.

He is prone to saying dumb stuff.

On the same program I'm listening to, they brought on brother of one of the victims. After shitting on Depp a bit, he revealed that nobody from the film contacted any of the families.

 

[Amentallica]

Those are some strange quotes from Depp. Huh.

Not that I would like to ever be in a position where a deranged psychopath kills a family member of mine and then receives a biopic, but I wonder what that feels like. I can't even imagine overhearing people saying this movie "looks awesome" and that Depp "looks great," knowing very well that the actual person had killed a loved one.

And I have been guilty of glorifying roles and movies that are based on tragic true stories, but I almost never realize it.

 

[Lombaszko]

It was weird seeing downtown Brookline all decked out with posters of Depp as Bulger for the premiere. I mean, the dude killed people and the news was sending helicopters to cover this thing. Very strange, it just felt like there was this hero worship or something.

 

[Sanjuro]

It was weird seeing downtown Brookline all decked out with posters of Depp as Bulger for the premiere. I mean, the dude killed people and the news was sending helicopters to cover this thing. Very strange, it just felt like there was this hero worship or something.

To be fair, there are plenty of people who believe he is some kind of a hero around here.

For the film? I'm fine them doing it. That would be like suggesting they don't make any film based on true events. I can still reserve judgement, as it is starting to sound like the production of this film set out to make a biopic only from the surface level.

 

[robotzombie]

That didn't happen with Public Enemies. Depp has nailed the screen gangster vibe well.

Well its hard for people to see the glorification if they are asleep

 

[Lombaszko]

TFor the film? I'm fine them doing it. That would be like suggesting they don't make any film based on true events. I can still reserve judgement, as it is starting to sound like the production of this film set out to make a biopic only from the surface level.

I agree, I'm fine with the movie. It was just weird to see people gathered and cheering around tons of posters of Whitey Bulger.

 

[andthebeatgoeson]

It has Cumberbatch? Interesting. May see.

 

[JadedWriter]

So is Johnny Depp Joe Pesci in this?

He does seem like Joe Pesci's character in Casino.