Public Enemies (2009)
Watched December, 2011
A rather loose handed redo on the life of John Dillinger, this film seeks to continue the love affair America has with the gangster movie. With Johnny Depp as Dillinger, the film has an able leading man. A lot of time is given to his love affair with Viola played by Elena Kenney. While the film takes liberties, combines stories, and moves things around chronologically, overall it’s a decent rendition of his life. Of course we face the same issue that we always face with a gangster movie: we are brought to sympathize with the Devil, or at least one of his minions. But I will deal with that issue elsewhere. For now, here is what I thought…
I did not like some of the liberties with Dillinger’s life. Now I say that even while realizing that if the director was not going to play around a little, then he would have no reason to make yet another movie about this character. To date, there are some eight other feature length films given in whole or part to this man’s exploits. And Michael Mann (this pic’s director) likes to play with history (see his films Last of the Mohicans and Ali as examples of this propensity).
I did like the acting, especially the relative unknown Kenney (her first feature length role) and how close Depp came to looking like the actual Dillinger. I felt Christian Bale made a believeable and effective nemesis for Depp’s character. Still would have to take Costner vs Deniro in The Untouchables, but this was a good pairing.
If you like the gangster genre (and yes, all my Christian friends, you can like gangster movies without becoming one yourself), then this is not the top tier of The Godfather or The Untouchables or Good Fellas, but it ain’t bad, kid.
