Public Enemies - A-

Priest gave this great review over a month ago. Michael Mann’s films become more complex with repeated viewings, so initial reactions usually don’t mean much in the long run. There’s usually a discrepancy between the film that you expect and the one that you get. At first glance, you might think that Public Enemies is a biopic in the same vein as Ali, solely focused on a famous character who defined the times in which he lived. But it’s closer to The Insider (the Jeffrey Wigand biopic), in that Mann uses the background of a man to hang themes about loyalty, honor, and nobility. In Public Enemies, the main theme is living in the moment, but Mann is able to explore advancing technology, the effectiveness of torture, and becoming a criminal to catch one as well. Like Zodiac and No Country for Old Men, Public Enemies is a period film that discusses some of the challenges of our current era . . .

The movie has a rocky beginning – we’re thrown into the film unaware of where we are or what’s happening. The digital video is a brave (but not unsurprising) choice for Mann and takes some getting used to. Another brave choice is asking us to relate to criminals who have just killed some cops right off the bat. One of the toughest things in the film will be sympathizing with John Dillinger (Johnny Depp) and Billie Frechette (Marion Cotillard). It proved impossible for me right up until the last scene where Frechette doesn’t seem to care about all the damage Dillinger has done to other people. The movie takes off and never lets up when Melvin Purvis (Christian Bale) calls in some Texas Rangers (led by Manhunter alum Stephen Lang) to help him deal with the savage, violent nature of Baby Face Nelson and John Dillinger. Everything from that point on is first rate, highlighted by Dante Ferretti’s cinematography (the 2 police flare sequences were astonishing).
The high-def video camera ends up drawing the viewer into the impeccably recreated Depression-era costumes, streets, and rooms. We feel as though we’re right next to Depp and Bale. The shootouts (especially the Little Bohemia Lodge sequence) are first rate as is Mann’s direction – he films each shootout differently, often using shocking violence to keep the viewer on the edge of their seat. His technique in the quieter scenes is equally impressive, creating tension even if (like me, you’ve seen Dillinger’s biography many times on TV) you know what’s going to happen. Surprisingly, the attention-to-detail Mann intentionally makes some chronological errors for dramatic effect (Baby Face Nelson and Pretty Boy Floyd were both killed after Dillinger). But he can be forgiven for some historical inconsistencies after giving such a dense, captivating film. A-