Last week I was fortunate enough to attend an advanced screening of "Public Enemies" at the Sherman Oaks Arclight. The line for the film was quite long and I’m lucky I got in as there were at least a couple hundred people before me waiting. Expectations were set moderately low. Since the film isn’t do out until summer, I figured a bit of editing still needed to be done, sound mixed and visual effects refined. However, being a Depp fanatic, I was extremely excited about being one of the first to watch what could live on to be a film classic.
I’ll just start off by saying the film is good. Is it great? Not yet. But with a few minor changes it can be. Johnny Depp was excellent as Dillinger and it was refreshing to see him in a non-over-the-top-type role. I was beginning to think that he was good at was portraying larger than life characters. But in "Enemies" Depp was very subtle and yet at the same time forceful when he needed to be. And behind the tough guy Depp played, he emoted this suaveness, which made the brief love affair between he and Billie (Marion Cotillard) believable. I wouldn't be surprised if some compared Depp to Clark Gable because there are definite similarities.
Christian Bale, was good but he wasn't developed enough for me. However, I was told by someone who read the book that his character was pretty drab. Still, I would have liked to have known more about Purvis. (Bale) But back to Bale’s performance. His southern accent was spot on and he was the perfect adversary to Dillinger. Lets face it even if some DP is messing up his scene, Mr. Bale will not do a bad job.
Now onto Cotilliard as Dillinger’s love interest Billie. What can I say? Marion is beautiful and talented. The chemistry between she and Depp is quite apparent, thus making the viewer care about the doomed affair.
In general, the film itself felt and is long. It could stand to lose about twenty minutes as it dragged in some places. Too much time was spent on secondary characters I didn’t really care for, like Baby Face Nelson for example. He was pretty annoying and I felt the time taken on him could have been spent on Bale. But those grievances didn’t spoil the overall experience for me.
Every bank heist was well choreographed and shot, the shoot-outs, classic gangster. This in addition to the costumes, cars and guns made or a great film. Think "Heat" meets the "Untouchables". And even though historians knows how Dillinger meets his end, the final scene was absolutely riveting. I will definitely watch "Public Enemies" again upon its official release because I am curious as to what changes will be made, and of course to watch Mr. Depp on the big screen.
My rating for now. 7/10. It could change once I've viewed the finished product.
