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Public Enemies

Straight shoot'em up kind of gangster action that has a certain spark.

Movie Details

Rated: R

Run Time: 2 hr 19 min

Release Date: 7/1/2009

Genre: Drama/Thriller

Writer: Ronan Bennett, Ann Biderman

Director: Michael Mann

Watch the Trailer

Synopsis

Directed by Michael Mann, Public Enemies tells the story of the government’s attempt to stop legendary Depression-era bank robber John Dillinger (Johnny Depp, Sweeny Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street) and his infamous crew Baby Face Nelson and Pretty Boy Floyd.  Dillinger was made America’s first public enemy number one target of J. Edgar Hoovers FBI and its top agent Melvin Purvis (Christian Bale, The Dark Knight).

Review

Not bad. Not bad at all. Public Enemies has a certain spark about it that kept me interested in the story and characters. The action is shoot’em up style –straight gangter violence. The costume designs were lovely. What happened to people dressing sharp like that? When did dress transform to just a pair jeans? I can’t even imagine going to the store dressed like how the women did back then.

Set during the Great Depression, Public Enemies is an American crime film directed by Michael Mann and is an adaptation of Bryan Burrough’s non-fiction book Public Enemies: America’s Greatest Crime Wave and the Birth of the FBI 1933-34. The story involves legendary Depression-era charismatic bank robber John Dillenger (Johnny Depp, Sweeny Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street) and FBI’s top agent, Melvin Purvis (Christian Bale, The Dark Knight). Melvin’s life is dedicated to catching Dillinger this enigmatic criminal who’s eluded police for years. Dillnger is so bad he and his crew robbed over 2 dozen banks.

Enemies seemed a bit glamoured up for film sake, but I have a feeling in those times Dillenger was like some kind of movie star. Wanted as Dillinger was, he had no qualms about showing his face, gallivanting around towns and schmoozing the ladies. We can't get it twisted though, he was straight up a bad bad man.

Dillinger broke out of jail like it was just a walk in the park. My goodness, was security that bad in the jails back in the day? His lovely way of introducing himself is. “I rob banks.” Dang, did home dude have it like that? I remember years ago, this guy I never met before sat down next to me, without an invitation, at a club and said out of the blue after a few sentences, “I rob banks.” Of course I didn’t believe him and I was thinking “Yeah right”, but after looking at this film, it could have been possible. Shoot! All kind of crazies in the world.

I think the movie set out to do what it was supposed to. That’s showing Dillinger during his glory months of being the #1 outlaw of that time and Purvis trying to capture him. This is a very good film. It was enjoyable on the big screen. If you miss it at the theater, it wouldn’t hurt your spirits to wait a couple of months until it comes out on video. Definitely rent it if that’s the case because Bale and Depp really do a good job in these roles.


My Rating ~ 4 Reels

4 - Watch in the theater

Audience Rating (What's Yours?)