Public Enemies Review

Bottom-Line: Intellect is in short supply throughout Public Enemies, but it is good entertainment nonetheless.

Directed and produced by Michael Mann Public Enemies chronicles the newly minted Federal Bureau of Investigation's (F.B.I.) battle to rein in the outlaws of the Great Depression period.  Special Agent Melvin Purvis (Christian Bale), is sent to head up the F.B.I.'s Chicago field office by then head of the agency, J. Edgar Hoover (Billy Crudup). 

Once ensconced in Chicago Purvis leads the manhunt for Indiana born John Dillinger (Johnny Depp ).  Dillinger has already served eight years for armed robbery, been captured once, but then escapes, and is responsible for some two dozen robberies and at least 6 police slayings in three states. 

My Viewpoint

As the nexus of this tale of criminals, G-Men, bank robberies, and bullets, Jonny Depp as John Dillinger comes close to embodying the man who is part Robin Hood, part cold blooded killer, and quintessentially American.  As it turns out John Dillinger was a complicated character, far too complex for a 2.5 hour style-based movie to capture.  And Public Enemies doesn't come close to telling us who John Dillinger really was, what motivated him, nor does it come close to telling the story of his brief and troubled life.  Nor does it do Melvin Purvis any favors I might add. 

What Public Enemies does deliver is violence, bullets, and bodies in ample measure.  And through the bullets, blood-letting, and bravado, Johnny Depp as Dillinger and foil Christian Bale (Purvis) do an admirable job of bringing these to huge personalities to life.         

And for those who are accepting of this sort of movie wherein outlaws are romanticized figures living a life of true freedom (living outside the law) by robbing the real boogiemen, the banks, while continually outsmarting bungling law enforcement hacks, living out for real Clark Gable's romanticized gangster role in Manhattan Melodrama (1934), well then Public Enemies has the novel look and cool appeal, that will win you over.