Black Mass (MA) ★★★½ stars
This is a violent and nasty movie about violent and nasty people, but it's well-acted and grimly interesting. It's based on the true story of South Boston Irish gangster James "Whitey" Bulger (Johnny Depp) who in the 1970s was recruited by his childhood friend, FBI agent John Connolly (Joel Edgerton) to act as an informant against a common enemy: the Italian mob.
But making such a deal is risky and it allows the cunning Bulger to become increasingly powerful in the criminal world while operating under the effective protection of the law and offering little in return, which Connolly is unable – or unwilling – to see until it is too late.
Depp, heavily and effectively made up, is chillingly good as Bulger, who could be kind to some but ruthless when it came to his own interests, and Edgerton is also impressive as the overconfident federal man with divided loyalties that prove to be his undoing. The supporting cast includes Benedict Cumberbatch as Bulger's brother Billy, a senator, Kevin Bacon as an FBI boss and Julianne Nicholson as Connolly's wife.
While not a true-crime film on the highest level, perhaps – it feels just a little short on detail and texture – this is still well worth a look.
There's also a short featurette.
Ron Cerabona