Public Enemies: Michael Mann disappoints

Posted by grinagog (D) on January 18, 2010 at 05:17:17

Despite having a budget to work with, Manns film, supposedly based on the life of John Dillinger ( played here in a very pedestrian manner by Johnny Depp ) can't hold a candle to other films that precede it
Specifically: (1973) "Dillinger" has a far more believable Warren Oates in charge and a way more attractive ( Mommas + Papas ) Michelle Phillips as Billy Frechette, Oates plays the swaggering wise-cracking Dillinger as he surely would have been
Manns version by comparison is emotionally bloodless, has almost no character development + Depps version of acting is delivering lines with the same deliberately paced monotone and immovable scowl regardless of the situation; he really doesn't know what to do with his part, and it shows
Two scenarios almost work; one is a breakout from a State prison which develops a moments tension ( but no more ), the other is Dillinger seeing himself as Clark Gable in a film screening near the end of "Enemies"
Some of the night-time cinematography is hand-held/jerky + poor resolution as if shot with a Handycam, not good enough for the big screen or for a director with a track record ( and one who has filmed some of the best night sequences ever: the rain falling in the alleyway at the start of "Thief" for e.g. )

One scene I found laughably bad; after introducing Dillingers mechanic who proudly announces: " these're all hopped up Straight-8's; Hudsons + Buicks " as getaway cars, however, the next robbery the gang commit has 1/2 a dozen people exiting the Bank, guns blazing, with Depp casually waiting for them in a black 1935 Chevrolet 2-Door sedan; about the slowest thing on wheels back then, and all these people are going to pile into the little Chev *somehow* tooled up + with their loot + escape at speed ( yeah, right )
This is the only time Michael Mann has succeeded in disappointing me ( I even liked Collateral! ) tho' I've liked some of his films more than others, "Public Enemies" is just way more miss than hit

Verdict: a decidedly messy + amateur production, worst thing I've seen on the big screen in ages

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Topic - Public Enemies: Michael Mann disappoints - grinagog 05:17:17 01/18/10 (31)

Johnny Depp as a cold-blooded killer and bank robber. Right..... Mr. - tinear 21:30:54 01/18/10 (0)

For me it wasn't Depp, just poor storytelling and was hard to follow...(nt) - mkuller 18:56:42 01/18/10 (0)

Agreed... one long, dull, unengaging flop of a film. Another Hollywood example of so much wasted potential...N/T - musetap 11:21:19 01/18/10 (0)

Yep...Agree totally... - MaxwellP 07:27:19 01/18/10 (27)

Gangster role? - jamesgarvin 09:12:04 01/18/10 (24)

RE: Gangster role? - chris.redmond2@bushinternet.com 05:41:38 01/23/10 (0)

You're funny...//nt - MaxwellP 11:02:16 01/18/10 (0)

A saint! - DWPC 09:35:14 01/18/10 (21)

You miss thepoint...and the history.... - jamesgarvin 12:56:33 01/18/10 (20)

You're serious? - DWPC 15:10:12 01/18/10 (3)

You need strawmen? - jamesgarvin 06:31:03 01/19/10 (2)

Read your own post - DWPC 13:20:54 01/19/10 (1)

RE: Read your own post - jamesgarvin 14:24:42 01/19/10 (0)

Dillinger robbed banks and killed cops; newspapers made him a popular figure and he hid behind it - MaxwellP 13:12:11 01/18/10 (15)

RE: Dillinger robbed banks and killed cops; that's why he was a bandit not a gangster - Tom Brennan 18:45:52 01/19/10 (0)

You are having trouble with the issue.... - jamesgarvin 13:51:23 01/18/10 (13)

I'll regret this, but... - MaxwellP 14:17:32 01/18/10 (12)

RE: I'll regret this, but... - jamesgarvin 14:56:39 01/18/10 (11)

RE: I'll regret this, but... - MaxwellP 05:57:40 01/19/10 (0)

In your world, "gangsters" are all scowling misanthropes. Dillinger - tinear 21:28:30 01/18/10 (9)

You carry your daftness from outside to films too, I see... - jamesgarvin 06:47:44 01/19/10 (5)

What balderdash you write. You may remember a certain lawyer that was a vicious serial - tinear 07:35:02 01/19/10 (4)

One other thing... - jamesgarvin 09:09:27 01/19/10 (0)

You've still not answered the question.. - jamesgarvin 09:00:56 01/19/10 (2)

Uh, no. Depp's portrayal had Dillinger as a regular guy who just - tinear 08:05:27 01/20/10 (1)

Will you ever answer the question???? - jamesgarvin 10:32:01 01/25/10 (0)

Dillinger was aware of his "celebrity status" + played up to it - grinagog 01:54:43 01/19/10 (2)

RE: Dillinger was aware of his "celebrity status" + played up to it - chazro@charter.net 12:16:33 01/22/10 (0)

I think that is the problem for some here... - jamesgarvin 09:07:14 01/19/10 (0)

Me too - DWPC 08:46:52 01/18/10 (1)

Can I make a comment about Gandolfini ? - phatty 11:46:54 01/21/10 (0)

Public Enemies: Michael Mann disappoints

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