Gangster films have been around since the dawn of film and the tales of people who live brazenly on the wrong side of the law, has been ripe material for movies for almost one hundred years. The latest incarnation of the mob drama is Black Mass, which follows James “Whitey” Bulger, the man responsible for decades worth of murder, corruption, and crime in the greater Boston area.

Bulger, played by Johnny Depp, led the notorious Winter Hill Gang in the 70’s and 80’s. The small criminal organization ran the streets of Boston by racketeering, large scale drug dealing, murder, and were responsible for just about any other crime imaginable, in an effort to maintain their stronghold on their territory. The movie begins with a series of tight cuts that focus on a tape recorder, a detective in the midst of an interrogation, and the face of crook, willing to tell his part of a criminal story that is unbelievably true. Director Scott Cooper (Crazy Heart) visually lets the audience know that this will be an up close and personal film.

Black Mass’ greatest strength comes from some key performances. Clearly the hype about Depp’s portrayal is not overstated. After a few minutes, he simply becomes the character without a trace of Depp’s familiar idiosyncrasies which have drawn criticism. However, the actual role of Bulger isn’t given the necessary character growth to create a truly iconic film character, but they get close. That could be attributed to the simple fact that Bulger in real life is psychotic and probably not capable of growth. So the brunt of the character discovery has to come from the people around him. That also doesn’t change the fact that Depp is truly magnetic in the role and when he speaks, it’s hard to not pay attention.

A large portion of the plot revolves around the bond and alliance that is made between Bulger and the FBI, namely John Connolly, an agent who grew up idolizing Bulger on the streets of Boston. Joel Edgerton’s transformation over the course of the film is fascinating, as he is increasingly charmed by the devilish Bulger. His descent also shows the depth of corruption in law enforcement and how both sides of the law were implicit in creating a crime-infested city. Although his transformation isn’t as physically impressive as Depp’s, Edgerton is given the much stronger arc in the film. Benedict Cumberbatch doesn’t have a role of great depth, but he is does an admirable job of playing Bulger’s younger brother, a well-known Massachusetts senator. While familiar faces such as Rory Cochrane, Jesse Plemons, and Kevin Bacon, all shine at various times throughout the movie.

There have been complaints that Black Mass is too formulaic, however that really isn’t its biggest drawback. It largely suffers because it has a jarring and unfulfilling ending that feels rushed. Much of the film focused on the gang’s psychotic behavior, but as it happens in real-life, the associates were captured well before Bulger. Cooper put himself in a position eerily similar to John Connolly. He wanted to use Bulger for a larger purpose in his story, but somewhere along the line Cooper seems to fall into adulation of the maniacal, yet charismatic figure. Bulger can’t be a true anti-hero, so he has to be treated like a villain. However, the movie fails to provide the third act comeuppance that is necessary for that thematic cohesion. 

There is an interesting voice over where a character explains that everyone in their neighborhood grew up playing cops and robbers. So when they grew up, it was only natural to continue the game in their adult lives. That is a compelling and fascinating dynamic that is at the core of the tension in movie. Cooper chooses to gloss over the early parts of both the Bulger brothers and Connolly’s history, which could have given the story a larger connective scope and a more meaningful ending. 

Fans of crime drama should find Black Mass enjoyable, yet not altogether memorable. Cooper is able to craft an above average crime tale, yet it’s definitely not able to sneak into the elite class for the genre. At the film’s highest points, Cooper shoots Bulger like he is a monster in a horror movie, stalking his victims with a soulless gaze, which may leave you feeling a little hollow. And similar to watching most slasher flicks, this movie doesn’t wrap up its themes and subtext concisely. Black Mass is far from a perfect tale, but undoubtedly has sporadic moments of great drama and tension, which is carried by a collection of strong performances.