Public Enemies

As my friend said, "I liked the film because we didn't have to feel sorry for anyone". Many gangster films, even "Godfather", give me a little niggling feeling when they represent people who are (if you look at it realistically) criminals as the coolest guys possible. "Public Enemies" wasn't idolising anyone but rather gave you a good realistic representation of the era. Famous bank robber John Dillinger, as portrayed by Johnny Depp, admittedly a charismatic, daring and cunning individual, is not shown as a hero of our times, but a criminal who robbed and killed (when he had to). He wasn't cruel and he didn't enjoy violence; for him robbery and violence was just a job he was the best at. This made him a scarier figure than some sociopath who enjoys violence for violence sake. His romance with Billie (Marion Cotillard) was not a most beautiful love-story ever told, but in many ways, a relationship between an owner and a possession. And FBI agent Melvin Purvis was not an unflawed fighter for justice, although I though Christian Bale's performance was the strongest in the film.

The minus points of the film are the other side of the plus points. The film's realism meant that I didn't like anyone and didn't feel for anyone that much, may be with the exception of Christian Bale. This might be not a minus for other viewers, but I rarely connect with a film where I don't find a character to like.

My rating: 7/10