Public Enemies: User Reviews

Not destined to be one of the all time great gangster movies. The setting and costumes were well done, acting fair, Depp is always good, but all-in-all just a little bland.

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I'm sad to report that this movie isn't very good, mostly because the script is a cliched ball of superficial tripe. Even worse, though, it's incompetently put together. If you know Dillinger's life, you'll have a vague notion of what city the characters are in at any given moment. If not, good luck figuring out even something as basic as that.

When it comes to the portrayal of certain big moments (Crown Point jailbreak, Little Bohemia, his death) there is some enjoyment to be had, but the thing doesn't hang together at all. There's no emotional connection to be made to the characters. Christian Bale is a laughable Melvin Purvis. Depp delves into the depths of Dillinger not at all. Everything is surface, surface, surface. I do, however, give them points for camping-up J. Edgar Hoover. Inaccurate but amusing.

The best Dillinger movie remains the 1973 version, but the great film that utilizes this material has yet to be made.

Michael Mann stole $9 from me. Maybe that's his true tribute to Dillinger.

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Interesting story of criminals of the era but way too confusing, drawn out and not believable. Possible DVD rental

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I was so excited to see this movie, as my guy friends said it was amazing. But, I kind of felt like the reason they really liked it was because of the violence and half hour gun shot sequence. If you like gangster, high action movies, it's great. But I think this movie should be reserved for guy's night, not date night.

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D'arcy who just wrote the review above is my new "Public Enemy #1". Michael Mann does a wonderful job of giving these talented actors "direction" and what results is a very exciting and authentic period piece of the 1930's. What might have confused or frustrated D'arcy is that this a man's movie created by the male perspective for a very male experience. I love critics who couldn't direct their cat to the litter box pretend they know enough to critique an art form. If you want the "real feel" see this movie... and guess what the theatre was packed.

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Public Enemies combines some of the best acting and worst direction ever seen on the screen.

Why did Director Michael Mann make this movie? He clearly didn’t feel comfortable with the subject matter and heaps distain on his lead character, the bank robber John Dillinger (Johnny Depp), from the start. He also heaps distain on the fellow jail birds, the nascent FBI, government agents and the police throughout the movie. Everyone is a thug with the exception of Dillinger’s girlfriend Billie Frechette (Marion Cotillard), who is an enchanted victim with true grit. Mann must have hated making this movie, and his cold, brutal depictions offer no insight into Dillinger. The film is so devoid of character that Mann has to tell us in an awkward one-liner that John Dillinger was a hero to the masses, because you would never know it from watching this film.

Mann also wastes a mountain of valuable screen time on a never-ending, painfully loud machine gun battle that scars the audience and makes you wish the movie would disappear. He could have cut the scene short and perhaps included a scene of Dillinger and Frechette visiting his father, which might have helped the audience understand why millions of Americans deified this bank robber, but Mann wants nothing to do with that. He wants it cold, impersonal, and pointless except to show that immorality is universal and humanity is bleak.

Marion Cotillard as Billie electrifies the film, but we don’t see enough of her. She is transformed from a drab depression-era figure into pure radiance when she falls in love with Depp’s Dillinger. She delivers Oscar-worthy performances when she is interrogated by police and in the final scene.

Johnny Depp is perhaps the most talented male actor of our time, but Mann stifles him in this film. Perfectly cast, viewers will love his performance but may be heartbroken that he wasn’t allowed to portray Dillinger with the full passion and intensity we all know is in his repertory. In several scenes he is magnificent; we come to care about him. Yes, bank robbers are human although Mann isn’t sure he wants you to know that. Depp’s defiance to the role comes through and helps save the film.

Christian Bale as the special agent Melvin Purvis and Billy Crudup as J. Edgar Hoover are both excellent actors, but they remain one-dimensional characters in this film. The FBI agent who questions Billie Frechette delivers one of the best performances of sheer brutality ever captured on film and I hope we see him again.

The cinematography is exquisite and moviegoers will love the 1930s sets of Chicago and the Midwest. The visuals are so precise that you will merge with the set at the Biograph Theater. You know the ending, or you think you do. Mann has saved the very best for last.

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