Michael Mann's Public Enemies opened across the U.S. yesterday. Here are some thoughts after seeing the movie last night:
- Christian Bale is no Al Pacino to Johnny Depp's Robert DeNiro. Having those two stars on camera, although sharing very little screen time together, is what made Heat a classic.
- Depp is clearly this generation's Pacino.
- The scene at the Little Bohemia Resort is classic Mann. I know, it's not the shoot-out scene from Heat, but it's terrific movie-making.
- Marion Cotillard and Depp sizzle in their scenes together.
- As one who is fascinated by this period in American history, the movie is pretty true to the facts. The biggest artistic liberty is Baby Face Nelson's death being chronologically out-of-order.
- Billy Crudup is very good as a very creepy J. Edgar Hoover.
- We've come a long way from Bonnie & Clyde, the 1967 film starring Warren Beatty and Faye Dunaway, which was best-known for the bloody scene where the two get killed. Mann's movie is violent but not gratuitous in its display of the killing and bloodiness of this era in crime, and crime-fighting.
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