Black Mass

Name: Black Mass
Genre: Action, Biography, Drama, Crime
Released: September 18, 2015
Duration: 122 min
Rating: 68
Cast: Benedict Cumberbatch, Dakota Johnson, Joel Edgerton, Johnny Depp

2015

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Generally favorable reviews based on 43 Critic Reviews

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USER SCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 471 Ratings

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7.5	User Score Generally favorable reviews based on 471 Ratings

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Black Mass

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Movie Details & Credits

Warner Bros. | Release Date: September 18, 2015 | R

Starring: Benedict Cumberbatch, Dakota Johnson, Joel Edgerton, Johnny Depp

Summary: In 1970s South Boston, FBI Agent John Connolly (Joel Edgerton) persuades Irish mobster James “Whitey” Bulger (Johnny Depp) to collaborate with the FBI and eliminate a common enemy: the Italian mob. The drama tells the true story of this unholy alliance, which spiraled out of control, allowing Whitey to evade law enforcement, consolidateIn 1970s South Boston, FBI Agent John Connolly (Joel Edgerton) persuades Irish mobster James “Whitey” Bulger (Johnny Depp) to collaborate with the FBI and eliminate a common enemy: the Italian mob. The drama tells the true story of this unholy alliance, which spiraled out of control, allowing Whitey to evade law enforcement, consolidate power, and become one of the most ruthless and powerful gangsters in Boston history.… Expand

Director: Scott Cooper

Genre(s): Action, Biography, Drama, Crime

Rating: R

Runtime: 122 min

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Critic Reviews

Scott Foundas

Sep 4, 2015

If Johnny Depp’s mesmerizing performance — a bracing return to form for the star after a series of critical and commercial misfires — is the chief selling point of Black Mass, there is much else to recommend this sober, sprawling, deeply engrossing evocation of Bulger’s South Boston fiefdom and his complex relationship with the FBI agent John Connolly, played with equally impressive skill by Joel Edgerton. Read full review

The Guardian Peter Bradshaw

Sep 4, 2015

Scott Cooper’s Black Mass is a big, brash, horribly watchable gangster picture taken from an extraordinary true story and conceived on familiar generic lines. Read full review

Neil Smith

Nov 23, 2015

Though the women could be stronger and the accents occasionally jar, cooper’s study of moral corruption enthrals. The Johnny-ssance starts here! Read full review

Movie Nation Roger Moore

Sep 15, 2015

The “banality of evil” was never so hypocritical, so banal and so evil. Read full review

Kimberley Jones

Sep 16, 2015

By necessity, Black Mass begins in a hole it can never dig out of. It’s the portrait of a monster told in a flat line. Read full review

Ty Burr

Sep 17, 2015

It’s a solid if not stellar crime drama, well put together, very well acted, and lacking only a genuine reason to exist. Read full review

Christopher Gray

Sep 16, 2015

Like any crime saga without a more potent thematic hook, the film's relentlessly insular script dwells on themes of loyalty and fraternity. Read full review

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User Reviews

CompaCaballero

Sep 19, 2015

This Is The Type Of Movies We Want Johnny Depp To Star Finally. Hopefully He Starts Making Better Movies Like This To Show Us That He Really Has Acting Skills Johnny Depp Oscar Performance

7 of 18 users found this helpful711

Phantasma

Sep 22, 2015

A chilling retelling of the life of a notorious mobster, Black Mass is a film that can be a pleasant surprise for fans and film critics alike. Johnny Depp's portrayal of Whitey Bulger is frighteningly uncanny, although it does have the Depp flair that most of us know and love. BarelyA chilling retelling of the life of a notorious mobster, Black Mass is a film that can be a pleasant surprise for fans and film critics alike. Johnny Depp's portrayal of Whitey Bulger is frighteningly uncanny, although it does have the Depp flair that most of us know and love. Barely recognisable underneath his costume, this is certainly one of the darker films that he has done, and while ambitious, it has paid off.

While I agree with some people who suggest that Depp hasn't had the best few years in terms of film releases (Dark Shadows and Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides spring to mind), I feel that this film has definitely helped boost his career, and it is a good reminder that not only is he versatile, he's still got it. It's a performance as memorable as Edward Scissorhands and Jack Sparrow (Sorry, Captain Jack Sparrow...), and maybe this is the first of many good films that is to be released with him starring in the future.… Expand

2 of 5 users found this helpful23

Jacob

Sep 19, 2015

Black Mass is an intense film. Along with doing a good job telling and presenting the story of a gangster it serves as a redeemer for Johnny Depp. The performance given by Depp is an intense and he will hopefully get an Oscar nomination for it. If only I could say the same for Cumberbatch’sBlack Mass is an intense film. Along with doing a good job telling and presenting the story of a gangster it serves as a redeemer for Johnny Depp. The performance given by Depp is an intense and he will hopefully get an Oscar nomination for it. If only I could say the same for Cumberbatch’s clearly fake Boston accent.… Expand

2 of 6 users found this helpful24

SEROJ

Nov 21, 2015

This movie is absolutely amazing! If you like intense criminal movies with conspiracies, you don't want to miss this one! Boring at times and predictable but still - amazing!

0 of 1 users found this helpful01

GreatMartin

Sep 18, 2015

Johnny Depp, the actor, is back! In “Black Mass”, whether fixing a friend with an icy stare from his blue eyes, to the pure joy he shows giving his young son ‘life’ lessons while silently quieting his girlfriend or choking another woman with his bear hands to strangling an informer with aJohnny Depp, the actor, is back! In “Black Mass”, whether fixing a friend with an icy stare from his blue eyes, to the pure joy he shows giving his young son ‘life’ lessons while silently quieting his girlfriend or choking another woman with his bear hands to strangling an informer with a rope, this is Depp becoming the psychopath James ‘Whitey’ Bulgar, not a caricature or using camp but being the man. He becomes mesmerizing just brushing his hand along the cheek of his friend’s wife frightening her or laughing as he tells another friend he was just pulling his leg but leaves the question if he was.

Johnny Depp is the center of the movie and is the reason to see it. The large supporting cast including Dakota Johnson as his girlfriend, who disappears from the picture bringing up an unanswered question, Julianne Nicholson as the friend’s wife and Juno Temple as a prostitute along with Jesse Plemons, Rory Cochrane, Kevin Bacon, Steve Flemmi, Corey Stoll, David Harbour, W.Earl Brown, Scott Anderson, Bill Camp and Peter Sarsgaard as various thugs, FBI agents, policeman, prosecutors all give strong support.

I had problems with two actors in the film, the first being Joel Edgerton, an Australian actor, who seems to have watched every Hollywood gang film and attempts to blend Brando and DeNiro making his character confusing and distracting every time when he is on screen and he is in most of the film. The other was with Benedict Cumberbatch, not his acting as he always turns in good performances, but with his casting. I know to leave logic at the door when I go to the movies but no way, in any universe, could Cumberbatch and Depp be brothers. They don’t look alike, don’t talk alike, don’t have any similar mannerisms. True Benedict’s character went to college and law school while Johnny’s spent those years in the penitentiary. The former became a State senator and then president of the University of Massachusetts while the latter starting selling dope to teenagers and became the kingpin of the South Boston’s underground, in many ways with the help of the FBI! I suppose they could have been brothers but I just couldn’t buy it.

Director Scott Cooper does a pedestrian job as do the screenwriters Mark Mallouk and Jez Butterworth while none bringing anything new or different to the genre. The movie is slow moving and too long at 122 minutes.

The bottom line is that “Black Mass” is a must see film to see Johnny Depp back on track as a fine actor bringing everything he can to a role.… Expand

2 of 6 users found this helpful24

SirNilesIV

Oct 14, 2015

This movie is a solid "ehh." Now that's not *bad*, but it's certainly not good, also. I would describe this as a good Netflix Saturday "don't have anything to do" kind of movie. It's a little tedious towards the middle, but so are many Netflix movies. The ending certainly ends on a whimperThis movie is a solid "ehh." Now that's not *bad*, but it's certainly not good, also. I would describe this as a good Netflix Saturday "don't have anything to do" kind of movie. It's a little tedious towards the middle, but so are many Netflix movies. The ending certainly ends on a whimper too, we see little of Bulger on the lam, as it were. I mean the guy was a mile from FBI headquarters in LA for 10+ years and nada! What can you do.

Depp is bizarre looking and a total and utter distraction. He should drop all this makeup pretense he uses to cover up for his somnambulant acting, but I digress.

Netflix night only.… Expand

1 of 1 users found this helpful10

Broyax

Dec 30, 2019

Une sorte de saga criminelle du pauvre, très pauvre et très éloignée des (rares, certes) références dans le genre mais tout de même : qu'est-ce que c'est mauvais ! je dirai que c'est criminel de faire un film pareil, aussi nul à chier dans tous les compartiments, où que l'on regarde...

LaUne sorte de saga criminelle du pauvre, très pauvre et très éloignée des (rares, certes) références dans le genre mais tout de même : qu'est-ce que c'est mauvais ! je dirai que c'est criminel de faire un film pareil, aussi nul à chier dans tous les compartiments, où que l'on regarde...

La mise en scène est molle, le scénario est ramolli et surtout prétexte à des bavardages futiles et insignifiants à peine dignes d'une série télé à deux balles ; le film entier pédale dans le choucroute, s'égare en poncifs et pendant ce temps, on commence à roupiller d'ennui...

Jonny Depp, ce bon vieux Johnny n'est pas si vieux, loin de là... il fait partie de ces acteurs qui ont toujours fait plus jeune que leur âge, alors il a fallu le grimer pour qu'il ressemble à un ringard d'ex-taulard mais c'est peine perdue : il a juste l'air d'un con et son jeu s'avère très décevant. On voit bien qu'il est dépassé par le rôle et mal dirigé. Pourtant, il avait démontré dans Blow qu'il pouvait jouer les mauvais garçons mais ici de toute façon, rien ne va : un ratage complet qu'il vaut mieux mettre au placard ou plutôt... dans une grande poubelle.… Expand

0 of 2 users found this helpful02

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47	#47 Most Discussed Movie of 2015
7	#7 Most Shared Movie of 2015