Quick Reviews - Public Enemies

Most Micheal Mann movies are visual treats punctuated with tense action sequences and gritty drama. Watch Heat or Collateral or Miami Vice and you'll get a fair sense of Mann's directing style. Comparisons with fellow visual masters such Brian De Palma and Steven Soderbergh are inevitable, but Mann has risen above particularly since both De Palma and Soderbergh have mostly been pissing away their name recognition by making boring movies in the recent past.
Mann's best movies thus far are those which explore his penchant for the cops and robbers dynamic. But when he has dealt with other subjects such as Ali and The Insider they have proved to be engaging and compelling.

Public Enemies is a mixed bag. Mann seems intent on a faithful re-telling of the John Dillinger story that it feels like docu-drama with A+ acting. Which is not to say its a bad movie. It is wonderfully constructed and Mann's maximizes the scope of his hand held camera to capture the landscape of 1930's America as well probe into the psyche of John Dillinger. But Mann deliberately choose drama over thrill and that may ultimately be the movie's undoing.
The movie lacks a grand, stand-out sequence which the audience usually take away from his movies.
Public Enemies falls well short of other period gangster flicks such The Untouchables, Bonnie and Clyde and Bugsy despite Mann's competent direction.

Johnny Depp dominates the screen and is charismatic as ever. Christian Bale is effective but I think he's over-exposing himself this year by portraying similar sort of roles which undo his work leading up to the Dark Knight. He should take a leaf out of Depp's book - Less is more and Diversity is King. Billy Cudrup shines in a supporting role bringing out the essence and idiosyncrasies of J.Edgar Hoover. Last year Oscar winner Marion Cotillard completes the casting coup of the year with a forceful performance.

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