As anyone who watched the first trailer for the film might've guessed, Johnny Depp is undoubtedly the star of this movie, and gives a performance that, while admittedly one-note, is as haunting, slimy, and at times even darkly comic as one could want and expect from a gangster flick. Whitey is a hard-boiled killer from the get-go, and we have very little insight into his actual motivations beyond the typical "I value loyalty" and "this is our turf" mantras of popular gangster lore, and this is ultimately what keeps the character from being a truly fascinating and fleshed out movie gangster for the ages. However, Whitey does at times delve into his own philosophies, most notably in a great scene toward the beginning with his son talking about how to deal with bullies at school. These scenes, while few and far between, are the only ones that rival those where Whitey is doing the expected dirty gangster business as the most enjoyable scenes in the movie. There aren't many, but when they're there, they're very good.
Managing to keep his character out of complete one-dimension territory, Depp does an exceptionally good job at portraying the personality of Whitey exactly the way one wants and expects it to be. There are numerous spots in the film where I was repulsed by Whitey's behavior, and very few of these scenes involved murder. One memorable scene involving Whitey teasing and threatening a friend's wife sticks out in particular. Depp's cold, unfeeling eyes and shark-toothed smile sell just how despicable his character is.
The supporting players do a great job as well, particularly Joel Edgerton and Benedict Cumberbatch. Cumberbatch, a noted and well-known Englishman, manages to wear the Bostonian voice and attitude very well. Even as a man in power, there's that South Boston street kid way of carrying himself that Cumberbatch nails very subtly. Edgerton, who has far more screen time, hones in these mannerisms very well also, and actually manages to overthrow Whitey as the most compelling character as a man whose motivations always seem confused and whose lies only plunge him deeper and deeper into his own mess. Every character, even the clean and snazzy millionaires who are unflinchingly offed by Whitey's crew, have an air of sleaze to them. Everyone's dirty in a way, and you never feel completely comfortable with any character.
This brings me to my main gripe with the film, which seems to be a common criticism. In most movies, it's at least recommended to include a character that the audience can mostly identify with, either through his/her motivation or her place in the course of events displayed on screen. Black Mass has no place for this character, and unlike classic gangster films like Goodfellas, the film's personality doesn't have enough of its own weight for the audience to stand a cast of exclusively repugnant main characters. In terms of pacing and storyline, the film gives us reenactments of the major pieces of the puzzle that it puts together for us. This film could actually have stood to be a three-hour film, telling the same story, but really digging into the meat of the criminal underworld and the federal investigation instead of simply showing the events unfold in typical biopic fashion.
That's not to say, though, that the film unfolds in typical biopic fashion badly. The editing is slick and the cinematography is well done - nearly every shot has an overwhelming sickly tint, lit either by harsh yellows, bleak greens, or the natural grays of winter in Boston. Cooper knows very well how to build tension in scenes. Whitey works well in the movie's world because of his unpredictable violent nature. Once we learn what sets him off, the audience begins to look for hints at who screwed up in front of him, and we're left to wonder through these long, lingering scenes whether or not they'll get what we think is coming. It's effective, and again, the scenes where Cooper lets the cast - especially Depp - simply act as their characters instead of going through the motions of the story are the most entertaining to watch.
Overall, Black Mass will most likely not join the pantheon of great gangster films, and is not as emotionally involving as it could be, but it is an enjoyable, well-made, and eminently well-acted true crime thriller elevated by some good camerawork, solid direction, and very good performances from its cast - most notably, of course, Mr. Depp himself.
Grade: B
