The era of gangsters comes to life in the Michael Mann-directed blockbuster Public Enemies. An all-star cast is anchored by Johnny Depp (Pirates of the Caribbean, Sweeney Todd), who gives an outstanding performance as the iconic Public Enemy Number One, John Dillinger.
John Dillinger is a bank robber who was embraced by the public in a time when banks were seen as evil institutions. Dillinger was seen as a sort of Robin Hood-esque sympathetic character, and this film follows Dillinger from a daring jailbreak of some of his gang in 1933 to his gruesome fate in 1934. During this time he captivated the American people with his daring bank jobs and natural charisma. J. Edgar Hoover declared America’s first war on crime and dedicated himself to catching Dillinger. This era of bank robbers is almost the final gasp of breath from the old outlaws of the Wild West, and watching the dapper Dillinger and his band of thieves run wild through the Midwest serves as a reminder of a bygone era in U.S. history. Depp shines in the role, and you can tell he is having fun exploring such a fascinating character.
Christian Bale (The Dark Knight, Terminator Salvation) plays Melvin Purvis, the FBI agent in charge of catching Dillinger. Purvis is a lawman from the old school, and the controversial tactics employed by the FBI to catch these thieves often conflicts with Purvis’s morals. Bale turns in a good performance as a man who is unsure if what he is forced to do makes him any better than the people he is trying to apprehend.
This film is full of stellar supporting roles. The always fantastic Billy Crudup (Almost Famous, Watchmen) is cruelly underused as FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover. Crudup absolutely steals every scene he is in. Oscar winner Marion Cotillard (La Vie En Rose) turns in a fine performance as Billie Frechette, a woman who becomes romantically involved with Dillinger. Stephen Dorff, Channing Tatum, Giovanni Ribisi, Stephen Graham, and Jason Clarke all shine as criminal accomplices of Dillinger. Such a fascinating stable of characters is even more interesting as you keep in mind that every single one of these men was a real person.
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