Black mass is a 2015 american biographical crime drama film produced and directed by scott cooper and written by mark mallouk and jez butterworth, based on dick lehr and gerard oneills 2001 book black mass. Sep 17, 2015 the silly mortdecai takes a backseat on the alisters resume to the excellent crime drama black mass. From 19781994, kevin weeks served as a member of the winter hill gang, and a close friend, confidant, and henchman to whitey bulger. But for those willing to grant these perhaps inevitable allowances, black mass is a very, very good film.
Johnny depp is no stranger to period piece biopics, having played famous historical figures in films like ed wood, the rum diary and fear and loathing las vegas. Directed by scott cooper and starring johnny depp, the movie tells the true story of. The scene is played for levity dakota johnsons aggrieved reaction as the boys mother is excellent, but bulgers advice doubles as a summary for the plot that drives this highly charged yet. Black mass is a 2015 american biographical crime drama film produced and directed by scott cooper and written by mark mallouk and jez butterworth, based on dick lehr and gerard oneill s 2001 book black mass. Johnny depp talks transforming into whitey bulger in.
In director scott coopers black mass, depp portrays vicious south. Master of disguise en espanol johnny depp has played heroes and criminals alike. Agent john connolly and johnny depp as whitey bulger appear in a scene. Its a solid film, with an impressive central performance by johnny depp as boston crime lord james whitey bulger, but it never rises to the level of.
The lone ranger character posters send johnny depp to wild west. And yet johnny depp, who plays bulger in the crime drama black mass, thought it was important to physically resemble the south boston mobster. But if johnny depps mesmerizing performance a bracing return to form for the star after a series of critical and commercial misfires is the chief selling point of black mass. Along with depps portrayal of bulger in scott coopers black mass, the mob boss was the inspiration for jack nicholsons character in martin scorseses 2007 best picture oscar. Johnny depp as whitey bulger in black mass courtesy warner bros. Sep 24, 2017 the amazing process of johnny depp becoming whitey bulger for the movie black mass. Black mass, based on the book by dick lehr and gerard oneill, tells the story of.
Jul 12, 2017 from 19781994, kevin weeks served as a member of the winter hill gang, and a close friend, confidant, and henchman to whitey bulger. Black mass, based on the book by dick lehr and gerard oneill, tells the story of bulgers rise from south boston thug to crime lord a move he completed with the help of the fbi in the. Marianne connolly, wife to joel edgerton s corrupt fbi agent in black mass, is another small but potent role. Allstarwarner bros depp was the centre of attention at.
Black mass features an understated gangster turn from johnny depp. Coldblooded johnny depp burns hot in whitey bulger story it was down to the wire five days before principal photography was to begin before depp decided. Oct 30, 2018 along with depps portrayal of bulger in scott coopers black mass, the mob boss was the inspiration for jack nicholsons character in martin scorseses 2007 best picture oscar. In that context depp s choices, and the films, seem spoton. Johnny depp and benedict cumberbatch as the bulger brothers and joel edgerton as john connolly, former fbi. The acting is top rate, and depp is much better, not as hammy, than the comic portrait of. Black mass features an understated gangster turn from. May 01, 2000 black mass has been sitting on my bookshelf for quite a while, i was looking for a third book about jimmy whitey bulger written by dick lehr, i have whitey and have been trying to find underboss. Thats right folks, our old friend johnny depp has buckled on his sword belt, grabbed his tricornered hat, waxed his mustachios, and jumped into his most famous role one more time. Hats off to joel harlow and all the people invlolved. The actors transformative portrayal of whitey bulger reminds us that depp, when motivated, can do impressive work. This weekends black mass, in which the actor aims a loaded shotgun at our lowered expectations, could be the spark that ignites the deppessaince.
Black mass resurrects bostons long memories of whitey. But his is technically not the first bigscreen portrayal of the career criminal. The program studied the effects of lsd and other drugs on. Black mass best quotes if nobody sees it, it didnt happen. Black mass is a 2015 american biographical crime drama film directed by scott cooper and written by mark mallouk and jez butterworth, based on the 2001 book black mass. Sep 18, 2015 to help answer these questions, we consulted dick lehr and gerard oneills book black mass.
Johnny depp seals deal to play whitey bulger in black mass. Sep 15, 2015 there is, indeed, a roman catholic mass in the course of black mass, the bloody, truelife crime drama starring johnny depp as boston gangster jimmy whitey bulger. The black mass true story reveals that while in prison for bank robbery in the late 1950s, whitey bulger volunteered to participate in a cia program named mkultra in exchange for reduced time on his sentence. Sep 18, 2015 black mass, based on the book by dick lehr and gerard oneill, tells the story of bulgers rise from south boston thug to crime lord a move he completed with the help of the fbi in the. Allstarwarner bros depp was the centre of attention at venice, an undeniably glamorous figure. For black mass, johnny depp has dusted off his agame, which has lain dormant for far too long. Would he still be able to pull off a nuanced, dramatic role. Sep 11, 2015 johnny depp s new film, black mass, marks a gear shift for the actor. Its a dark character study grim, sinister and brooding. Depps final film of the year was in the financial and. The film has an ensemble cast including johnny depp, joel. Sep 17, 2015 in 1970s south boston, fbi agent john connolly edgerton persuades irish mobster james whitey bulger depp to collaborate with the fbi and eliminate a common enemy. Black mass has been sitting on my bookshelf for quite a while, i was looking for a third book about jimmy whitey bulger written by dick lehr, i have whitey and have been trying to find underboss. Johnny depp will return to his roots as a dramatic character actor in the upcoming gangster biopic black mass.
Oct 30, 2018 gangster whitey bulger, found dead tuesday, wasnt a fan of johnny depp s portrayal of him in black mass. At one seemingly innocuous point in scott coopers visceral crime drama black mass, notorious mobster james whitey bulger johnny depp tells his son, who has been dealing with a bully, that he didnt act wrongly by retaliating punching his aggressor in the face. By inhabiting the character rather than merely playing him, depp deepens an otherwise generic gangster story that often feels familiar a little like scorseselite. Black mass film, johnny depp makeup artistry bring whitey bulger. Black mass best quotes if nobody sees it, it didnt. Can you match the johnny depp character to the movie. The dark allure of johnny depp in black mass the atlantic. Telling a true story about a mobster responsible for so many deaths could become a valachi papers exercise in just one killing after another, which this film does, but there is. Depp has gained critical praise for his portrayals of inept screenwriterdirector ed wood in the film of the same name 1994, undercover fbi agent joseph d. Black mass official trailer in 1970s south boston, fbi agent john connolly joel edgerton persuades irish mobster james whitey bulger johnny depp to collaborate with the fbi and. Casting johnny depp as the fabled boston crime boss james whitey bulger didnt sound, on paper, like the most promising proposition. Now depp is coming back in black mass, and for the first time in several years. Whitey bulger, boston mob boss who inspired the departed. Depp gets boost as bulger, but black mass simplifies.
The only resemblance to whiteys character was the hairline. The screenplay by mark mallouk and jez butterworth is based on the book by the reporters dick lehr and gerard oneill of the boston globe. Next up, the 52yearold portrays mobster whitey bulger in black mass, out on sept. The film has an ensemble cast including johnny depp, joel edgerton, benedict cumberbatch, kevin bacon, jesse plemons. Johnny depp is scarygood in black mass orange county register. Nine signs black mass could be johnny depps big comeback. He then starred in jim jarmuschs dead man, a western shot entirely in blackandwhite.
The pirates actor transforms into legendary criminal whitey bulger for a careertopping performance. Gangster whitey bulger, found dead tuesday, wasnt a fan of johnny depps portrayal of him in black mass. In 1970s south boston, fbi agent john connolly edgerton persuades irish mobster james whitey bulger depp to collaborate with the fbi. Stephanie merry oversees books coverage for the style section.
Is the johnny depp gangland thriller really an accurate depiction. A near miss black mass is another is a line of crime dramas set in boston. Long past his heartthrob era, johnny depp became a real actor able to deliver a chill when his face subtly changes to an expression of expectant evil which it does frequently in black mass. Whitey bulger, the fbi, and a devils deal, by boston globe reporters. Black mass film, johnny depp makeup artistry bring whitey bulger to life on screen. Johnny depp talks transforming into whitey bulger in black. Sep, 2015 whitey bulger, the boston crime boss who is the subject of black mass, scott coopers new movie starring johnny depp and opening on sept. Depp portrays the gangster in the drama, out in theaters friday.
I always wanted to be a character actor rather than the poster boy. There are few films, outside of the horror genre, where a characters. As james whitey bulger in the new flick black mass, though, depp. The true story of an unholy alliance between the fbi and the irish mob by dick lehr and gerard oneill. In his new film black mass, depp plays infamous gangster james joseph whitey bulger, jr. Evidently he is not a fan of the book upon which the film is based, black. In a roundabout way, scott coopers black mass addresses this process. There is, indeed, a roman catholic mass in the course of black mass, the bloody, truelife crime drama starring johnny depp as boston gangster jimmy whitey bulger. Take a look at nine of his most memorable roles and how they fall along the herotovillain spectrum. The film has an ensemble cast including johnny depp, joel edgerton, benedict cumberbatch, kevin bacon, jesse plemons, peter. He played opposite marlon brando in the boxoffice hit don juan demarco, as a man who believes he is don juan, the worlds greatest lover. Joel edgerton as fbi agent john connolly and johnny depp as whitey bulger in black mass.
A mobster expert separates truth from fiction in black mass bbc. Captain jack sparrow, whom depp plays with so much vim and vigor, has been a. Sep 04, 2015 but if johnny depps mesmerizing performance a bracing return to form for the star after a series of critical and commercial misfires is the chief selling point of black mass. Barrie in finding neverland 2004 and boston gangster whitey bulger in black mass 2015. In one indelible scene, she holds her own against johnny depps psychopathic. The program studied the effects of lsd and other drugs on humans, in this case using inmates as test subjects. Johnny depps starring role as legendary boston gangster james whitey bulger in the film black mass has critics praising the actor for his most restrained and realistic performance in. Telling a true story about a mobster responsible for so many deaths could become a valachi papers exercise in just one killing after another, which. Sep 21, 2015 and yet johnny depp, who plays bulger in the crime drama black mass, thought it was important to physically resemble the south boston mobster. Depp is chilling here in the way that great horror movie actors from the 1930s and 40s are chilling. Johnny depps starring role as legendary boston gangster james whitey bulger in the film black mass has critics praising the actor for his most restrained and realistic performance in years. Sep 17, 2015 johnny depp s starring role as legendary boston gangster james whitey bulger in the film black mass has critics praising the actor for his most restrained and realistic performance in years. Whitey bulger hated how johnny depp portrayed him in.
Johnny depp stars as bulger, who was the brother of a state senator and was eventually convinced to wear a wire for the fbi to bring down the italian mafia in boston after they invaded his territory. The film stars depp as the infamous boston gangster james whitey bulger, alongside an impressive supporting cast that includes sherlock star benedict cumberbatch as bill bulger whiteys brother and onetime massachusetts senator and joel edgerton warrior, exodus. Johnny depps new film, black mass, marks a gear shift for the actor. The demon barber of fleet street, finding neverland, the pirates of the caribbean films stars as notorious mobster whitey bulger in the. Black mass is a gripping crimedrama biopic starring johnny depp as irishamerican mobster james whitey bulger, the most notorious gangster in u. Apr 24, 2015 in 1970s south boston, fbi agent john connolly edgerton persuades irish mobster james whitey bulger depp to collaborate with the fbi and eliminate a common enemy. Film composite of johnny depp as whitey bulger in black mass and whitey. As sound as its central idea is, the execution of black mass is flawed. Reallife gangsters pour scorn on johnny depp mob biopic black.
The amazing process of johnny depp becoming whitey bulger for the movie black mass. Black mass movie vs true story of whitey bulger, john connolly. The true story of an unholy alliance between the fbi and the irish mob. Scott cooper directs, with mark mallouk penning the screenplay based on dick lehr and gerald oneills 2001 bestseller black mass. Black mass, which is based on the book of the same name by two boston globe reporters who broke the original story of bulgers fbi connection, also. In that context depps choices, and the films, seem spoton. Apr 23, 2015 johnny depp is no stranger to period piece biopics, having played famous historical figures in films like ed wood, the rum diary and fear and loathing las vegas. To help answer these questions, we consulted dick lehr and gerard oneills book black mass. The screenplay fails to flesh out its secondary characters, and the. Black mass is based on the 2001 nonfiction book of the same name. Oct 11, 2015 johnny depp at the premiere of black mass. Whitey bulger hated how johnny depp portrayed him in black mass. Apr 14, 2017 in director scott coopers black mass, depp portrays vicious south.
Last week, we determined that whitey bulger, the notorious bostonarea gangster johnny depp portrays in the new drama black mass, is probably the only person in the free world who has refused a. Based on the true story of james whitey bulger, the south boston hood who inspired jack nicholsons character in the departed, it chronicles how bulger johnny depp was able to stay out of prison because the fbi, led by agent john connolly joel edgerton, uses. The true story of whitey bulger, the brother of a state senator and the most infamous violent criminal in the history of south boston, who became an fbi informant to take down a mafia family invading his turf. The film will inevitable be compared to the departed. Actor johnny depp signs autographs for his fans as he arrives for the screening of the movie black mass at the 72nd edition of the venice film festival in venice, italy, friday. With johnny depp, benedict cumberbatch, dakota johnson, joel edgerton. Sep 18, 2015 but for those willing to grant these perhaps inevitable allowances, black mass is a very, very good film. Black mass by scott cooper johnny depp, benedict cumberbatch. Jul 30, 2015 johnny depp will return to his roots as a dramatic character actor in the upcoming gangster biopic black mass.
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