Johnny Depp piles on the makeup to play notorious Irish mobster James “Whitey” Bulger. This solemn film tells the story of his rise to power in Boston and the collaboration with the FBI that allowed him to become so ruthless. Depp’s steely cold exterior results in a subdued portrayal that sometimes exposes the undercurrent of rage and violence. The entire cast inhabits their rough characters with unattractive authenticity. The continuous overtone of anger, mistrust and unhappiness pervades the film’s every minute, but this is also its weakness. Some lighter moments would have added contrast and mounting tension would have made the experience more intense. As it stands, the performances are strong, but the constant low level of conflict never builds to any emotional or dramatic impact.
(3.5 / 5)