Black Mass - First Glances
Well, the highly anticipated crime-drama finally screened out of competition at Venice last night, and critics were able to get a first glance at what we can expect from Johnny Depp and his portrayal of Whitey Bulger.
Expectations were extremely high for this film, in fact, many expect it to be ranked in the top films released in 2015. To its credit, so far things have gone pretty well. As audiences are becoming tired with Depp's "silly" cartoonish performances, simply the notoriety and infamy of the role he plays could be enough to give him the boost he needs for Best Actor consideration.
Initially, the film sounds similar to the likes of 'Goodfellas', 'The Godfather', and especially 'The Departed' in which Jack Nicholson portrays an eerily similar character. However, there is no doubt in my mind that when 'Black Mass' is released on the big screen, the talk of the town will be Depp, Cumberbatch, and Edgerton, and the goosebumps we get when watching the viciously-real story of mob life at its prime in Boston.
What can we expect from the feel of the film, and what will we be able to take away from it? So far, I've heard the links to the FBI & Senate and their apparent support of Bulger hint at a possible backlash to authority, or perhaps even social commentary, but given that the film is based on a true story, I believe the purpose of the film is to legitimately give us goosebumps, viewing one of the most daring and gut-wrenching performances of our lives. Although Bennedict Cumberbatch and Joel Edgerton reportedly hold a more earnest energy through the film, the shining moments come through the decade-spanning story by the director Scott Cooper, and how he is able to navigate those 10 years with some of the blackest moments in U.S. history.
Why should we watch Black Mass, and what should we look forward to? If you haven't seen the trailers from Warner Brothers, those by themselves give you enough reason to take a trip to your local theater for this movie. Not only will we be watching a possible multi Oscar-winning flick, we'll leave the theater with heated stories to tell. Already, the critic-world is buzzing with giddiness after it's release last night, and word is quickly spreading of Depp's incredible performance. This will be a release moviegoers everywhere can unite for, and one you won't want to miss!
'Black Mass' releases September 18, and will be shown in theaters everywhere.
