Released the same weekend that marked the 25th anniversary of Goodfellas, director Scott Cooper’s Black Mass provides a chilling look into the notorious mobster Jimmy “Whitey” Bulger’s rise to power, and, ultimately, his downfall. While other iconic films like Goodfellas and Casino have the viewer feeling empathy for the mobsters shown, Black Mass makes it very clear that “Whitey,” and almost everyone else around him, are morally empty people who did inexcusable things for a living, and sometimes, for sheer pleasure. Black Mass is gritty, disturbingly dark, and ultimately more realistic portrayal than most of what Hollywood has shown us “inside” a mobster’s life.

Johnny Depp plays Whitey, one of Boston’s, and the United States’, most notorious crime bosses, ranking at number 10 on FBI’s Most Wanted list during the 1970s and 80s. What sets him apart from most, however, is the fact that he grew the mobs power right under the FBI’s nose, and, using his ability as an FBI informant, even manipulated the FBI into committing some “dirty deeds” for him against rival mobs, all the while with his brother Billy (Benedict Cumberbatch), runs for state senator.  The film starts where Whitey is first recruited by his brother’s childhood friend, FBI agent John Connolly (Joel Edgerton), who’s looking to take down the city’s Italian Mafia.

Very quickly it becomes clear that it’s Whitey and not his FBI handler who’s making the decisions, leading to a very tense and untrustworthy alliance that concerns Connolly’s bosses at the bureau. While most movies depict a clear line between who’s good and bad, this film leaves this distinction in a gradient shade of grey, with each character taking turns walking from darker to lighter and vice versa.

After years of literally getting away with murder and other malicious crimes, Bulger and Connolly bite off more than they can chew, and find themselves thrown into the very same pot they were stirring for the FBI for years. As they get closer and closer into the FBI’s grip, Bulger and Connolly resort to more brutal and rash decisions to keep them safe. As the film draws to a close, these actions prove not only futile, but quite disturbing to some viewers.

Depp nails his performance, and with a stunning makeup job and icy- blue eyes that make you fidget in your seat, the viewer forgets that Depp is behind the character, rather than the real Bulger. A strong supporting cast shines through, with Dakota Johnson as the mother of Whitey’s son, and Kevin Bacon as the FBI boss Charles McGuire. While less screen time limits their talent from really making an appearance, it’s a pleasant surprise all the same, making this film an Oscar nominee bouquet. Capped with a chilling soundtrack, the movie, produced by Dune Entertainment, takes an overall gritty tone, building the mood of despair that clearly takes control of the Bulger family.

Although the film keeps its value with superb acting and cinematography, it ultimately degrades itself with a dragging pace, long uninteresting dialogue, messy timeline, and far too few action scenes that the film’s trailer exaggerates. With too many “common mistakes” for its own good, this film his just below the ‘A’ mark. While Black Mass has style and remembrance, it will not be able to sit on the same shelf as its iconic mafia film predecessors.

(Rated R for Brutal Violence, Language Throughout, Sexual References, and Brief Drug Use)

writer: Nathan Schaefer