Public Enemies

Through the classic style of director Michael Mann, we catch a brief glimpse into the life of famed outlaw John Dillinger (Johnny Depp) in his latest biopic Public Enemies. Although arguably plain in plot structure and character development, the film strikes a highly accurate note with history and recounts Dillinger's period as a fugitive extremely well. This is undoubtedly thanks to the brilliant adaptation of Bryan Burrough's non-fiction book Public Enemies: America's Greatest Crime Wave and the Birth of the FBI, 1933–34. Mann recreates this era of criminal malice and legal inconsistency without elaborating too much on the character's individual circumstances. This is a poor choice for a film that is set against the backdrop of The Great Depression. One cannot justly recount the story of Dillinger without conveying the struggles induced by the times.

In the opening scene where Dillinger is broken out of prison by his faithful comrades, Homer Van Meter and Baby Face Nelson to name a few, we are introduced to the slew of bandits that remain loyal to Dillinger. This is one of the best scenes of the entire film because it sets the mood and pace for what is in store for these criminals. There is a wonderful onscreen moment where Depp creates a conflicting sense of anger and sorrow as Dillinger is physically forced to "let go" of one of his men as they race off in their getaway car. Such inner emotional struggle is rarely conveyed by anyone else because Mann has created a film that we are not necessarily induced to interpret through the character's feelings, but merely witnesses to a series of events.

Johnny Depp as John Dillinger

Depp does however manage to create a criminal that the audience can empathize with. His sterilized approach to the character of John Dillinger is not without merits. You feel compassion for Dillinger despite his illegal actions and he comes across as being a modern day Robin Hood. In the first robbery, Dillinger briefly addresses one of the clients in the bank, telling him "we're not here for your money, we're here for the bank's money". This was one disappointing aspect of the real John Dillinger that Mann did not fully elaborate upon in this film. Depp approaches Dillinger as a man of high morals and great character, creating a gentleman criminal on screen.

Billy Crudup as J. Edgar Hoover

Probably one of the most historical scenes, independent of Dillinger's raids, is the part where J. Edgar Hoover, played by Billy Crudup, addresses the Senate sub-committee responsible for all Bureau appropriations, asking them for more funding in order to keep up with the likes of Dillinger. Although the back story is left unmentioned in the film, it is very obvious that Senator Kenneth McKeller has a personal vendetta against Hoover, just by his demeanor and the sort of questioning he poses upon him. Because so much of Burrough's novel was about the initial construction of the FBI, the omission of such key plot points seems outright sinful. What was going on with Hoover and the Bureau of Investigation could have been just as encapsulating as Dillinger's evasive life.

Christian Bale as Melvin Purvis

Christian Bale's performance as Melvin Purvis is just as responsive as Depp's. Here is a character whose sole purpose is to catch the protagonist, along with all his criminal associates. Purvis' presence creates a traditional good guy versus bad guy subplot. When he discovers that Dillinger's girlfriend Billie Frechette, played by Marion Cotillard, has been abused by one of his agents, he rescues her without question. He also recognizes that his initial staff of G-Men are no match for Dillinger's posse and pleads to Hoover to bring in more experienced agents to avoid further deaths of his men. Bale manages to retain the audience's good opinion of him because he stands by his commitment to the safety of his men and is loyal to a system of justice that upholds human decency and honor.

Marion Cotillard as Billie Frenchette

Dillinger's love interest, Billie Frechette, added a great deal to the story. She was the one character that had no ties or connections except through her love for Dillinger. And while his associates were seemingly always loyal to him, she did not have an ulterior motive aside from being with him. When the two first meet, she asks Dillinger what he does for a living; he openly replies "I rob banks". This is reminiscent of Warren Beatty in Bonnie & Clyde where he admits to the farmer that they too "rob banks". The look of surprise on Faye Dunaway's face is very much like Cotillard's reaction, where she says, "That's a serious thing to say to a girl you just met." The audience can often feel the turmoil of Billie Frechette through her eyes. Cotillard embraces the role of Dillinger's lover soulfully and passionately, often without saying a single word. This is the kind of performance that we have come to expect from this Academy Award winning actress.

The director's approach to this film fell short of the historical context of both Dillinger's gang and the men at the Bureau of Investigation at the time. The script itself focuses on the situations at hand and ignores the surrounding circumstances of the characters. I am honestly surprised that Michael Mann accepted this sort of simplicity so willing, having directed other highly intricate films as The Insider & Collateral. Overall though, the movie was very well acted and beautifully reenacted on the screen. What it lacked in story strength, it made up for in dynamic scenes of excitement. As a result, the audience never looses interest in the antics of John Dillinger or the crusade of Melvin Purvis.

Rating: ★ ★ ★ 1/2
Bottom Line: A period gangster film that parades bank robbers as heroes. Michael Mann delivers as always, but the story itself remains lacking.