Synopsis:

The Feds try to take down notorious American gangsters John Dillinger, Baby Face Nelson and Pretty Boy Floyd during a booming crime wave in the 1930s.

The Freak's Rating: C+ : When I heard that a film was being made based on a book about the dawn of the FBI and the end of the 1930s crime wave I was pumped.  When I saw Johnny Depp and Christian Bale were cast, I was puzzled.  It was clear the emphasis was to be on one public enemy, #1 himself, John Dillinger and the agent who tracked him.  Bonnie & Clyde is one of my favorite films and for a moment I was certain I'd see them on screen again, but alas, we would only see Johnny Depp (to my wife's delight).

Director Nick Cassavettes has produced two films over the last decade I had strong feelings about, The Notebook (garbage) and Alpha Dog (wonderful).  Knowing his direcitng style, I was certain this was more like the latter and would be wildly entertaining.  In Public Enemies, Nick's jumpy angles are a tad disturbing and distracting from what is happening on screen.  During some shootouts, you are lost as far as who is winning, who has escaped and who has died.  This is an overlooked flaw of the editing team. 

The writers of this screenplay should be shot.  Not only did they virtually eliminate Pretty Boy Floyd, Bonnie & Clyde, Ma Parker and Baby Face Nelson from the film (perhaps 15 minutes screentime tops for all combined), they left enormous holes in Dillinger's storyline.  Dillinger was perhaps most well known for two things during his crime spree.  1 - He carved a gun out of soap/wood (depending on whose story you listen to) and used it to escape jail.  2 - He was betrayed by a woman in a red dress.  The carved gun is shown for a few brief moments, but no screen time is devoted to how he accomplished such a feat (the planning, the carving, the staining with shoe polish).  In the final scenes of the film, a woman with a white top over an orange dress is the one who betrays him, not a red dress.  Two such glaring oversights are unforgivable.

Sadly, Johnny Depp is barely likeable as John Dillinger.  As a storyteller, when you are attempting to make a criminal loved by the audience, you need to refer to classic films where it is done correctly (e.g. Bonnie & Clyde or Butch Cassidy & The Sundance Kid).  I was on Bale's side the entire time as Dillinger seems like nothing more than a thug to me.  The only time he is shown with likeability is during one scene where he is singing to his hostages.  At this point in the film, the interjection of humor seemed quite contrived and therefore was ineffective.  From scene one we need to be brought into his side of the story and we never were. 

With a book the film was based upon that could have been an epic had it stuck to its full lineup of subjects and been properly handled, it is a let down to see it compressed into one character and yet leave notable gaps in said character's storyline.  The final 10 minutes of the film are really well done, with Mann's experience weaving suspense beautifully displayed, but it is just shy of a recommendation.  I can't imagine myself watching this one again.

Joyce's Rating: C : I usually love true life drama stories but this one was a disappointment. I never felt a connection to Johnny Depp, as John Dillinger. I felt that the story has been told once too often. OK show to watch on a rainy day.

Daniel's Rating: C+

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