one.
Depp just doesn't have the menace to be Dillinger and Christian Bale just looks good in his suits and slick hair; Bale doesn't seem to be able to speak in a normal voice anymore. He projects weakness and not the tough lawman Purvis was.
Three script writers were involved, including Mann, and it's hard to see what needed 3 heads. There is no character development which makes it difficult to care who shoots whom.
If you want to see a really good film about gangsters, just rent "Bonnie and Clyde." Far more stylish and the love story is far more convincing, too. Better music, cinematography, and writing, to boot!
Since the director, Michael Mann, is known for his great action set pieces, such as those that peppered, "Heat," I at least expected some pulse-pounding moments.
Nope.
The shoot-outs were trite and some took so long one actually just wished a huge blast would kill all involved to just end it.
Billy Crudup, as (I'm not kidding!), J. Edgar Hoover, is the one very good piece of the film.
There is no reason to see this on the big screen. If you must see it, wait for DVD.
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Topic - "Public Enemies:" two woefully weak and miscast lead actors sink this - tinear 08:46:36 07/03/09 (13)
- RE: "Public Enemies:" The HD footage - wushuliu 12:59:40 07/16/09 (0)
- I was afraid of this. Did Billy Crudup . . . - Daryl Zero 10:28:43 07/04/09 (1)
- SPOILER! - tinear 12:12:54 07/04/09 (0)
- Depp is no Warren Oates - danj 09:09:34 07/04/09 (3)
- And Bale is no Ben Johnson (nt) - eppis1 20:26:23 07/04/09 (2)
- Heck, DePalma's, "The Untouchables" was far better, too. nt - tinear 22:55:17 07/04/09 (1)
- RE: Heck, DePalma's, "The Untouchables" was far better, too. nt - jimdgoulding 00:11:32 07/18/09 (0)
- What about Marion Cotillard? She mesmerized me (nt) - townsend 20:10:42 07/03/09 (5)
- That's what French women do.....that's all that country is good for is women. * - mr grits 08:40:13 07/04/09 (4)
- RE: Grits I WATCH you...nt - patrickU 10:08:17 07/06/09 (0)
- Generals, wines, Bonnaire, cheeses, haute cuisine, Bardot, painters, philosophers, novelists, - tinear 10:08:29 07/04/09 (2)
- Agreed - Prisoners 14:06:22 07/04/09 (1)
- And France's two greatest inventions: - tinear 22:57:13 07/04/09 (0)