Johnny Depp stars in “Public Enemies"

Public Enemies

Worth the $10? Yes
Hudak gives it a 'B'

By Dan Hudak // hudakonhollywood.com

Bad men in desperate times often do desperate things, and history teaches us that if the things they do are awful enough they’ll probably live in infamy forever. In the case of ’30s gangster John Dillinger — at least as he’s depicted in “Public Enemies” — sometimes these “bad men” are actually heroes of the people, albeit in a twisted sort of way.

Director Michael Mann’s (“Heat”) film follows Dillinger as he escapes from prison in 1933 and proceeds to rob banks with great efficiency. Ever the bureaucrat, J. Edgar Hoover (Billy Crudup) makes it his personal mission to stop Dillinger, knowing full well that a high-profile bust could lead to the creation of his much-desired Federal Bureau of Investigation.

To get the job done, Hoover appoints Agent Melvin Purvis (Christian Bale), who recently made headlines for killing bank robber Pretty Boy Floyd (Channing Tatum).

Purvis’ pursuit of Dillinger is like Wile E. Coyote chasing the Road Runner. Dillinger, in all his brash derring-do, makes a mockery of the bureau by being so elusive that he’s often right under the agents’ noses. One scene shows Dillinger getting out of his car in broad daylight while his girlfriend Billie (Marion Cotillard) is arrested; another shows him literally walking into a police station and striding through the door marked “Dillinger.” He even makes small talk once inside, and no one recognizes him.

If you’re thinking this is a bit much to believe, it is. Dillinger’s recklessness suggests part of him wants to get caught, but there’s no indication of this in Depp’s performance. All Depp gives us is a man who wants to rob banks, be beloved by the public and move away with his girl. With no self-defeating tendencies, it doesn’t make sense to show Dillinger take so much needless risk. It’s as if Mann wants us to like Dillinger so much that he forgets to explain Dillinger’s motivations, and in doing so he leaves gaping voids in an otherwise intriguing story.

Other than the script by Mann, Ronan Bennett and Ann Biderman (based on a book by Bryan Burrough) letting him down, Depp is solid in the only true lead role. All supporting players are good as well, and Mann’s visual style will immerse you in the story to great effect. For example, much of the film was shot with hand-held cameras that keep us close to the action, giving the impression that we’re right in the middle of the firefights and robberies with Dillinger.

How well “Public Enemies” captures the real Dillinger is debatable. But unless you’re a Dillinger purist and/or a history buff, what’s legend, factual or both doesn’t matter. What does matter is that this is a good (not great) movie that is compelling throughout.

Did you know? Melvin Purvis committed suicide in 1960, and the general belief is that it was because of his declining health. Some believe that the gun Purvis used to kill himself was the same gun that he used to kill Dillinger, but there’s no evidence to support this claim.

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