Public Enemies

Michael Mann is a director with a strong reputation for making some incredible films in the last 30 years but I think it's fair to say that the strength his name carries in the industry has faded rather drastically in recent years. I wanted to revisit his collection of films and chose to start with 2009's Public Enemies. I'm aware it's a strange choice but having heard how the film has risen in popularity while on Netflix and being the last time I saw it was in cinemas, I uncovered my copy of it on Blu-ray to see if this has improved with age.

Johnny Depp stars as the infamous bank robber, John Dillinger, during the rise of American gangsters in the 1930s, and on the surface this was seen as Mann going back to what he knew best having directed the highly acclaimed Heat from 1995 but with a period twist. While America was still fighting with The Great Depression, gangsters like Dillinger were living the high life as they robbed wherever they pleased as they won favour with the public for their Bonnie and Clyde lifestyle. Back then, gangsters had faster cars than the police and just had to cross state lines to avoid persecution so enter Christian Bale's straight-laced lawman, Melvin Purvis, who is assigned by J. Edgar Hoover (Billy Crudup) to hunt down Dillinger and his lawless men by any means necessary.

There's something I always find engaging about these sorts of crime films with their rise and fall storylines that rarely seems to disappoint and for the most part, Public Enemies is no different. Depp is perfect in the leading role with the right amount charisma, particularly towards the end, that I couldn't see anyone else in this role but it's the casting of Bale that I found strange. Bale is clearly fully commited to the character but Mann doesn't give him much to do and to have such a big name in a supporting role like this was almost distracting. Marion Cotillard fairs better as Dillinger's love interest with what could have been a thankless role but there is something uneven in the film's pacing which comes at a cost to its characters.

Revisiting Public Enemies I realised that this is like Black Hawk Down which also has loads of familiar faces in minor roles. To name a few, there are Channing Tatum, Carey Mulligan, David Wenham, Giovanni Ribisi, John Ortiz and Stephen Lang. But it's Jason Clarke and Stephen Graham who both stand out showing some of the film's weaknesses. Without spoilers, the film uses Clarke in a key scene that's meant to carry emotional weight but there's nothing because Mann only goes so far as to develop Depp's character. Bale's role is given some attention, hinting at events that follow the film after the credits, but it doesn't really payoff. Meanwhile, Stephen Graham is a full force of nature and criminally (forgive the pun) underused in what should have been a much larger role.

To summarise the above, the film has its problems but when the it finds its stride as the story gains momentum it's very entertaining and what better example than during the expected shootouts between the cops and robbers. Mann understands action in a way that most directors often fail while trying to imitate him. Den of Thieves tried its best to capture Mann's furiously loud and realistic approach but he proves he is still the master here. That's not say Public Enemies is only good when the bullets start to fly but these scenes do standout, as does the third and final act. The film has a rocky beginning but once I became use to Mann's style I found my overall experience only improved as the story progressed.

Public Enemies is not Mann's best work but it is still a very good film and is easy to recommend to those with an interest in the genre. For Depp, this is one of his more under-appreciated performances but I think this film has aged well in the eleven years since it was released to some rather harsh critics and it deserves more attention. As of this time, it's Manns last good film but hopefully his upcoming biography of Enzo Ferrari can change that.