Black Mass (2015)

Foundas delivers a strongly positive verdict, calling the crime drama taut and deeply engrossing. He especially praises Johnny Depp’s restrained, mesmerizing performance as Whitey Bulger.

The critic finds the film enthralling despite occasional jarring accents and underdeveloped female characters. He especially praises Johnny Depp’s chilling performance and the charged dialogue scenes.

Turan finds the film bleak and compelling, with Johnny Depp delivering some of his most chilling work. He particularly praises Depp’s transformation into Bulger, while noting that the oppressive material limits the film’s emotional reach.

Hassenger finds the film absorbing and well-made, but says it lacks an emotional core and a distinctive story. He praises Depp’s understated, memorable performance and Cooper’s confident, menacing direction.

Hewitt finds the film compelling and powerfully acted, with enough distinction to avoid familiar gangster-movie clichés. He singles out Joel Edgerton’s performance while noting that Johnny Depp’s striking appearance can distract from his portrayal.

Bradshaw finds the film confident, nasty and highly watchable, with a pessimistic account of corruption. He especially praises the absorbing performances by Johnny Depp and Joel Edgerton.

Kohn finds the film often dreary and one-note, but says Johnny Depp’s performance makes it frighteningly compelling. He singles out Depp’s menacing presence and the tense dinner scene as the film’s strongest elements.

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Seitz finds the film effective but not fully successful. He singles out Johnny Depp’s performance as a strength.

The review praises Johnny Depp’s performance as one of his best in years. It also highlights how the FBI alliance lets Whitey Bulger grow increasingly powerful.

The review presents the film as an entertaining mobster drama, especially for viewers missing Scorsese’s crime films. It singles out its appeal as a satisfying alternative in that genre.

The critic finds the film dour and structurally shallow, unable to make its central relationship emotionally resonant. He praises Joel Edgerton’s portrayal of Connolly’s anxious double life as a shrewd contrast with Johnny Depp’s clinical Bulger.

Rizov finds the film a dull, generic biopic that fails to do justice to its subject. He considers Depp’s performance convincing, but says the film’s vague storytelling and repetitive visual choices undermine it.

Sexton calls it a solid addition to the gangster genre but says it gives viewers nobody to care about. He praises its rendering of the genre’s familiar details, while finding Johnny Depp’s performance repellent and alienating.

Sragow’s description suggests the biopic falters despite its ambitions. The excerpt singles out its attempt to run on faith alone as a weakness.

Brody argues that the film lacks psychological insight and a unified aesthetic, while its passive amazement at Bulger’s crimes lets it evade the political context of Boston’s racial conflict. He singles out the omission of the school-busing crisis as especially revealing of the film’s narrow view of whiteness and community.

Edelstein finds the film shallow and dramatically clunky, unable to make Bulger feel knowable. He praises Depp’s refusal to soften Bulger and singles out a menacing scene opposite Julianne Nicholson as the highlight.

Hammond calls the film one of the year’s best and a sterling addition to the gangster genre. He praises Depp’s layered portrayal of Bulger and the film’s humanizing complexity.

The review finds the film frequently engrossing, with Johnny Depp delivering his best dramatic performance in years. It singles out Depp’s compelling turn for praise, while noting pacing problems in the final act.

Crow finds the film forceful but constricted, with its episodic structure keeping it from fully developing key relationships. He singles out Johnny Depp’s terrifying, bare-knuckled performance as the film’s great strength.

Dibdin finds the film a gripping but emotionally hollow gangster drama, rescued largely by Johnny Depp’s performance. She especially praises Depp’s unsettling, precise portrayal of Bulger, while faulting the film for leaving its relationships underdeveloped.

Crump finds the film competently made but ultimately unoriginal and unlikely to leave a lasting impression. He praises Johnny Depp’s chilling performance, while criticizing the stereotyped Boston accents and the film’s limited ideas.

Goldberg finds the film unfocused and lacking a compelling purpose despite its sensational true story. He singles out Connolly’s underdeveloped character arc as a missed opportunity, while criticizing the one-dimensional portrayal of Bulger.

The review finds the film stylish and tense but lacking a convincing sense of purpose. It praises Johnny Depp’s restrained, unsettling performance and the strong supporting cast.

Roffman finds the film average despite its compelling central performance. He praises Johnny Depp’s vivid, commanding portrayal of Whitey Bulger, while faulting the exposition-heavy screenplay for flattening the story and its relationships.

The critic finds the film solid but too familiar to add anything new to the gangster genre. She praises Joel Edgerton’s performance and the supporting cast, while noting Benedict Cumberbatch is underused.

Han finds the film a boring, clichéd crime drama that fails to develop its characters or make its violence matter. She singles out Depp’s flashes of repulsive charisma as the bright spot, though she says the makeup undermines his performance.

Devereaux finds the film leaden, superficial and an uninteresting take on institutional corruption. She particularly criticizes its endless exposition, stock mob-movie scenes and Cumberbatch’s Boston accent.