Review: Public Enemies

The Enemy Within

I am a great admirer of Michael Mann, and while I regret that I have not come to know all of the films in his reportage, that doesn't mean I don't fall in love with his techniques and passion for characters. That's generally where Mann's films succeed, particularly in ones that often get remembered as action films: it's the well rounded characters that help the film sustain its momentum. That is usually why Michael Mann has been considered a favorite filmmaker of mine (extra points added because he hails from Chicago). His newest film has many of those elements that seem reminiscent of his films from the past, but from afar don't really come on the exact level of what he's done in the past.

Leading man Johnny Depp plays John Dillinger, the notorious gangster who became an endearing figure in the public eye for his method of robbing banks that had been responsible for the Great Depression (isn't it great that lesson was learned). The film focuses on a very narrow time period in his life, really only the last year when he was on the FBI's most wanted list, with the J. Edgar Hoover's right hand man Melvin Purvis (Christian Bale) leading the manhunt not only against Dillinger but several key members of his gang as well.

Most people use the shorthand and call this the "John Dillinger" movie. That is a false conception, and there is perhaps the film's greatest, and most visible, weakness. The film is based on a book that extensively covered the crime wave and rising of the FBI from 1933-34. That is great material for a mini-series. For a feature film, it is a bloated effort that is subjected to too many storylines and not enough time to give each justice. There are multiple plot lines dealing with Dillinger, his extended gang and their own illegal doings, along with Melvin Purvis and his dealings with the FBI and Hoover (which their questionable relationship is never flushed out in the film). Both storylines have interesting appeal, but are more than enough for one film. Having them together loses something in each, and the plot ends up suffocating under its own weight, not to mention flat out bad writing that poorly attempts to mimic Depression-era street talk.

Still, I do give credit to Michael Mann for infusing this movie with a classic sense. Not classic in the time period, but classic in the way that it feels like vintage Mann. His action scenes are well choreographed and always include the burst of energy (though I condemn the shaky digital camera) and the quite moments between the characters continue to showcase the power softer scenes can have. Mann is still stuck on the digital kick, and as a strong skeptic, the method works most of the time in this period film, often times allowing some vibrant colors to come alive as well as offer a grittiness to the piece. I'm not endorsing the use of digital in future films, but I recognize that this is the closest it will ever come to looking good in a period piece.

Depp is going to magnificent in anything he does, and he perfectly captures Dillinger's ability to be charming, cunning and ruthless. Depp allows this character to show some true colors, and he lets the audience believe in the little bit of humanity he might have. It's not really a tricky performance, but it is one that once again showcases Depp's more than capable ability to carry a film, no matter what side his character's morality may fall on. Bale had room to shine, but the screenplay unfortunately limits him, which is a shame given the kind of complex character Purvis was. I do wish Bale had been given more to work with from the story and we could have really seen what he was capable of. Oscar winner Marion Cotillard is Dillinger's girl, but her "God bless her" attempt at an American accent is too distracting, and in the end she just gets forgotten by well placed character actors like Stephen Lang as a special agent assigned to the Dillinger case to steals enough scenes of his own.

Hit and miss is a sure perfect way to describe this movie. It succeeds on the level of acting, the direction from Mann and some of the technical aspects (I am expecting Collen Atwood to be nominated again in the costume category at the Oscars). However, some technical aspects are at fault (Elliot Goldenthal's over the top music has all the wrong cues) and the script nearly sinks this movie completely. This is certainly not a perfect film, far from it in fact. However, there are enough elements here to keep you entertained in your seats. I do wish I could have seen this in four parts on HBO, because it would have been much better. But given as is, it's a passable effort, but I certainly expect better from Michael Mann. *** / ****; GRADE: B