Black Mass

A two-hour conversational reconstruction of real events, where everything is perfectly fine, but at the same time nothing surprises, nor does it significantly break us out of the lethargy of the monotonous and emotionally alienating narrative. We don't identify with the characters, we merely follow their pre-plotted fates through the eyes of a disinterested judge, just as the deliberately austere direction does. I enjoyed Depp's amazing performance (that's how you act with your eyes), the well-written dialogues and Junkie XL's signature music, but the rest remains well in the shadow of classic works of the Hollywood mafia school. (01/07/2016)

The biggest mafia screw-up in a long time. A film absolutely devoid of drama and suspense, without the much needed period filler to create the right atmosphere. If it weren't for Johnny Depp with a ton of makeup and a couple of stars in supporting roles, I'd think Scott Cooper had moved into pure B-movie waters. Gone is the rawness and industrial cover of Out of the Furnace. Here they feel that a few period costumes and some decent murders will be enough, but no. The film is almost devoid of music and the little there is, well, Junkie XL doesn't know which way to go and his score fits more into mystery horror than a gangster flick. The characters are absolutely devoid of energy, with a monstrous amount of audience alienation. This material had massive potential, but it would have had to be handled by a more sophisticated filmmaker. It's a bit remotely reminiscent of American Hustle with the costume design, and that one also had a lot of wasted potential, but Black Mass wants so badly to be American Gangster, yet it's not even remotely that. (21/11/2015)

The solid actor base and even the complete transformation of Johnny Deppʼs appearance didn’t make me completely blown away by Black Mass. Story-wise, it’s not bad, but at times I had the impression that had the movie been 90 minutes long, I wouldn’t be angry at all. High quality and uncompromising gangster movies have apparently become extinct. That’s what was constantly going through my head while watching the movie. The thing so good about the legendary Goodfellas, The Godfather, and Scarface, namely the unforgettable scenes, was missing here. In any case, Johnny Depp proved that with every new role he is able to go to the limits of his acting abilities and for that, he has my genuine admiration. (25/05/2016)

Valuable for mapping real events. With a plethora of stars (why did Kevin Bacon disappear from the big screen?), but dramaturgically weak, Black Mass is dull, with only one or two scenes that really get to the viewer. Depp’s transformation, however, is chilling and admirable. (25/11/2015)

Not great, but very watchable average. I understand that not everyone can be Scorsese, but this narrative flows on a wave of blandness, with only three interesting scenes in the whole film, until you start wondering about the wasted potential. And then the well-known truth that a film is as charismatic as its lead doesn't help either. It’s a pity, because Depp is amazing. His piercing, sinister look and the way he speaks will make you crawl across the table in fear. Great job, Johnny, it's a shame the film itself can't keep up with you. (05/04/2016)