In his latest big screen endeavor, Johnny Depp dons ice blue contacts and a thick layer of stage makeup to be reincarnated as one of the most notorious crime bosses in American history. Scott Cooper’s box office hit, “Black Mass” explores the true story of James “Whitey” Bulger’s rise to mob boss stardom and his unholy alliance with the FBI.
Bulger’s near 20-year reign as Kingpin of South Boston’s underworld delivers a story better than fiction. As the brother of the serving state senator and long time childhood friend of FBI agent, John Connolly, Bulger managed to harness a certain level of unjust amnesty while he terrorized the streets of Boston through drug trafficking, racketeering, and a long list of violent murders. Perhaps the most fascinating element of Bulger’s story is introduced when the jig was finally up. On Dec. 23, 1994 James Bulger left Boston one final time after the FBI received a tip that led to his indictment. For 16 years he eluded capture, and rode the number two spot on the FBI’s Most Wanted List; second only to Osama Bin Laden. The phrase “you can’t make this stuff up” comes to mind.
Complete with drugs, murder, organized crime, and a blue-eyed Johnny Depp, "Black Mass" has all the ingredients for a steamy stew of box office success. The movie received rave reviews from respected publications like Rolling Stone and The Wall Street Journal. However, some people have had a hard time viewing this adaptation of dark American history as just another Johnny Depp movie. Reviewer Adam R. Holz writes, “Such a detailed and explicit portrait of one man's violent life arguably glorifies the brutality as much as (or even more than) it critiques it.” Herein lies the controversy surrounding "Black Mass."
Depp’s performance as James Bulger was enthralling, to say the least. Yes, he was terrifying and completely deranged in certain scenes. But the movie also depicts a very human side of Bulger. A ruthless crime boss who leaves grown men for dead in empty parking lots and plays gin rummy with his mother after church on Sunday morning? While this element of Depp’s performance is part of what makes it so enticing, it has also received a fair amount of backlash from the people of Boston. Black Mass, intentionally or not, highlights and glorifies the life of a man who can be considered morally bankrupt by anyone’s standards.
After seeing the movie I found myself totally fascinated by Bulger and his story. I was in awe and wanted to know more. It’s easy to forget that what is simply an entertaining film for someone like me, is a harsh reminder of a brutal criminal’s reign of terror for people who lived and worked in South Boston. It’s no secret that as humans we are regrettably fascinated by the very real and dark nature of people like James Bulger. The possibility of inherent good in an evil man and the potential of madness in us all is what keeps us coming back for more. While I feel for the families of the victims, the movie industry will never be one to shy away from controversy. And lets be honest, as soon as the words “based on a true story” come on screen, everything gets a lot more exciting.
