Michael Mann was given a cast of superstar actors and a story made for the big screen and absolutely did not waste it. While some may feel cheated out of a possible epic, action-packed thriller, don't allow the summer release date to fool you. Public Enemies is a real film and takes itself seriously while remaining an entertaining look into a momentous time in American history. Are people going to leave the theater jaw dropped, wanting to see it again right away? Likely not. But it is a movie that will last for a while with the viewer, trying to decipher the meaning behind it. Mann does not give everything to you in plain sight. Instead is a film with brilliant dialogue and well-executed one-liners. There is humor without pushing for humor. There is some kind of emotion hidden behind the portrayals of cold, calculated, and confident men who do not reveal emotion. Every performance was solid, most specifically Marion Cotillard's.

You see, there CAN be more to a movie than overdramatizations of events with cold hard facts. The beauty of this story lay within the research. Every detail is practically stripped from pages of FBI files. The dedication to fact is evident and for proof you need go no further than the files themselves. Were liberties taken within the story? Sure, but the only factual misnomer came with the murder of Pretty Boy Floyd, which technically occurred after Dillinger's death. But this small change gave the audience unfamiliar with Melvin Purvis (Christian Bale) a necessary reference to his ability as an agent.

                                                    

Most importantly, the movie does not draw from gangster movies we've already seen. It created an original portrayal of a common genre with famous characters. Public Enemies did not get caught up in the hype of having a big-name cast, but simply soaked in the elegance of their performances. There were so many opportunities to turn this into a gangster version of Ocean's 11 with all the heists and escapes. Whereas it would have made for a REALLLLY COOL movie, in the end, I'm glad they stayed away. It was a genius plan to actually put a solid film in the middle of summer with two (arguably three) hugely bankable names and a renowned director.

Overall, Mann impressed me by keeping the movie a mirror of Dillinger's personality - a cunning and romanticized version of an overpopularized character who never really TRIED to bask in glory, but simply fill his bathtub with people's adoration for him. He'd rather sit quietly in a crowded theater soaking in others' fascination with him than make a scene and spectacle of it all. This is what makes his short-lived relationship with Baby Face Nelson such a ripple in his style throughout the film. The subtle smirks of Depp's Dillinger reminded us of his unprecedented self-confidence. Bale's subtlety and cold emotion were that of a man who believed he would get his man (the motto of the FBI's early years), but simply did not express himself charismatically. Really, any actor could have played Purvis, but Bale gave an extra dose of importance as he always does with his characters. Still, in the end, I'm becoming increasingly concerned with the roles Bale is taking and it is overshadowing his fantastic acting ability. Either way, he did a decent job as Purvis, but not a memorable one like Depp or Marion Cotillard's Billie Frechette. What a fantastic performance there. Although her accent bothers me like Gerard Butler's (star of 300) mangled voice, it resonates some kind of timeliness in Public Enemies. It fits her characters lack of true identity. She and Depp don't speak much on screen together, with Dillinger doing most of the talking. But what they say is always perfect. You want to know how to pick up a woman (well, maybe in the 1930s), watch Dillinger's every move on Frechette. Their relationship grew to be a great sub-plot, as opposed to a forced love arc.

                                                            
The details Mann put into the surrounding scenery should not go unrecognized. But the fact that it goes relatively unnoticed is another testament to his filmmaking. Instead of bastardizing the 1930s set design, he simply allows it to be there. You won't really notice it unless you are looking. and part of this is due to his frequent close up shots. Another part being that Chicago still has a sensation of that time period and isn't tough to dress up. I have always been a fan of Mann's use of digital cameras. His movies feel more real and engaging. Sure, some shots get shaky, and people will complain, but it doesn't bother me at all. I see what I need to see.

                                               
                            Photo I took of the real Biograph Theater as it stands today (only a couple blocks from my apartment)

The score was well performed, but poorly executed at times. There were a handful of abrupt and unsettling cuts from the music that was driving a prior scene. Most significantly in the final scene of the film, a simple fade out would have sufficed. I wasn't blown away by most of the music except for the final scene when I needed to be and an eerie sequence in which Dillinger walks right into the"lion's den." It's a chilling scene and I won't get into detail. It is an amazingly riveting scene and I couldn't stop smirking. It brings suspense at a surprising moment of the film. Overall, Mann just has great taste in music. Like Audioslave's Shadow On The Sun in Collateral, here he used Otis Taylor's Ten Million Slaves as a sort of anthem song to really drive the excitement level up a bit during bank robberies.

Public Enemies combined a number of my favorite aspects in filmmaking in a time (mid-summer) where this type of big budget project is rare. Michael Mann's films are unique in not only their appearance, but the combination of emotion, character-driven drama, and action. This film was no different from his past engaging and passionately researched films. Do yourself a favor and read up on John Dillinger, so when you do see Public Enemies you get a sense for just how unfabricated this portrayal is. Johnny Depp's performance is as close to perfect as you'll see in a movie like this and the rest of the cast doesn't disappoint. Amazing that Johnny Depp still has no Oscars, isn't it? Finally, we've been given a gangster movie different from all the rest. While some may not love Public Enemies, they are missing the big picture. They are missing a movie that is it's own type of experience and transports you in the mid 1930s without shoving it in your face. Don't expect a Transformers 2 romp of action and loud music, but instead, dish out the $8-$10 and enjoy a complete and well-done film.

out of 5 trophies