Depp ‘amazing’ as Dillinger (3.5/5)

Public Enemies

Starring: Johnny Depp, Christian Bale, Marion Cotillard
Directed by: Michael Mann
Rating: R for gangster violence and some language.
Running time: 2 hours, 20 minutes.

“The only thing that’s important is where somebody’s going.”
“Where are you going?”
“Anywhere I want.”

In times of hardship and struggle, for some, it’s a time of infinite possibilities.

Director Michael Mann reminds us of this in “Public Enemies,” a gangster movie focusing on the life of the infamous John Dillinger.

Mann tosses you in headfirst to the gangster lifestyle of the 1930s, complete with the high (and low) society, routine heists and extraordinary getaways. “Public Enemies” makes you yearn for the days of fedoras, snazzy nicknames and gangster suits.

Johnny Depp stars as Dillinger, and, as expected, does an amazing job. Cavalier and unfettered, Dillinger does what he wants when he wants. Sick of jail? No problem, we’ll just leave.

Just as Dillinger was sensationalized while alive, he may be even more so now decades later, taking on a modern Robin Hood characterization. Mann and Depp capitalize on Dillinger’s charisma, portraying him as an inviting protagonist and not necessarily a dangerous criminal.

The movie picks up in the beginning of the end for Dillinger and pals, including “Pretty Boy” Floyd and “Baby Face” Nelson.

Tired of his hands being tied by state jurisdictions, Bureau of Investigation director J. Edgar Hoover (Billy Crudup) instructs Agent Melvin Purvis (Christian Bale) to use whatever means necessary to take down the gangsters and end their reign.

A main focus of “Enemies” is the love affair between Dillinger and “common girl” Billie Frechette (Marion Cotillard). While their initial reactions are engaging, the swiftness of their relationship caught me off guard. Although Billie is a common piece of furniture in the film, you never really get a sense of who she is and how she feels being a girlfriend to one of the most recognizable and wanted men in America.

There are many, many gangster cronies to keep track of. But, for the most part, if you can familiarize yourself with Dillinger and Nelson and perhaps one or two others, don’t spend the movie wondering who that guy with the pistol is. If they don’t make it clear, you probably don’t need to know on a first watch.

It’s interesting getting a look at the infant FBI, and Bale pulls off a spectacular performance as the agent who hunted down many of the notorious gangsters.

But, for all that it is, “Public Enemies” makes the mistake of changing history to ease storytelling. A tweak here and there could be considered “creative license,” but in reality, many of the notable deaths that the movie portrays did not happen until long after Dillinger’s death. This lack of accuracy in a movie made specifically about a certain real person in a certain real time definitely drops the film down a few points.

“Public Enemies” is about more than just Dillinger and Purvis, however. It’s about the changing landscape of American history and the desire to shed daily responsibilities for a life of drive and impulse.

An interesting aspect of these gangsters that Mann failed to pursue was their youthful ages: At their times of death, Dillinger was 31, Floyd was 30 and Nelson was 25. They lived hard and fast; as Depp’s Dillinger notes, “We’re having too good a time today. We ain’t thinking about tomorrow.”

3 1/2 of 5 stars