BLACK MASS

The true story of Whitey Bulger, the brother of a state senator and the most infamous violent criminal in the history of South Boston, who became an FBI informant to take down a Mafia family invading his turf. —IMDB

Johnny Depp as Bulger is riveting in this true crime drama, and Joel Edgerton who plays the FBI agent for whom Bulger becomes and informant, is strong in the supporting role. The movie is extremely violent — sometimes bordering on the unnecessary — and the script is complex requiring considerable concentration. The problem I have with this movie is that we never really know what the inner life of Bulger was. The psychological dynamics of this criminal are never articulated. Depp is the reason to see this movie — his performance is perhaps the best we have seen of him for a while. This is not a feel-good movie. It is very grim and is primarily worth seeing for the performances of the cast. But prepare yourself for the confronting violence if you choose to see it.