Public Enemies

imdb Photos

Plot: John Dillinger (Johnny Depp) is a bank robber in the 1930's, and FBI agent Melvin Pervis's (Christian Bale) G-Men try to hunt him down. John meets girlfriend Billie Frechette (Marion Cotillard), and their lovestory becomes a weakness which Pervis exploits.

Review: Johnny Depp's John Dillinger is a dynamic and lively character whose populist appeal of stealing from the banks and not the bank's customers made him popular among the masses in Chicago. There are some knowing parallels between robbing banks in the 1930's and the financial crisis today --the same anti-plutocrat populism.

The art direction and photography is excellent and captures the mood. There is excellent non-verbal, story-telling, especially during the arrest sequence in the middle of the movie. The soundtrack is strong too.

One of the best movies of the year. Oscar quality work for Johnny Depp. I originally rated this higher, but the next morning I realized that the character development was not that strong, and that only Johnny Depp's performance was outstanding.

Cast and crew: Johnny Depp, Christian Bale, Marion Cottillard, Directed by Michael Mann

Rating: 3 flasks

More: At right is a picture of the real John Dillinger, who looks much older than his 31 years. The real Dillinger did embrace the criminal lifestyle during prison time early in his life, and learned bankrobbing from older convicts he met there.

[SPOILERS] There was an FBI siege of a Wisconsin hunting lodge, and he was finally killed after being turned over by a Romanian madam who had immigation issues, ... and a red dress.

His real wife was Beryl Hovious, not Billie Frechette.