Public Enemies

I like baseball, movies, good clothes, whiskey, fast cars ... and you. What else you need to know? - Public Enemies

Public Enemies is a movie that showcases the FBI's attempts to capture notorious criminals during the Great Depression era. Specifically the movie looks at John Dillinger (played by Johnny Depp) and the criminals he comes in contact with while trying to evade FBI agent Melvin Purvis (played by Christian Bale).

This movie was just what I needed - a little escapism in a somewhat difficult day. The movie was shot so as almost to appear as though it were footage from the 1930's. The camera was shaky (think a little like the Blair Witch Project), but not so much that it distracted from the film. There were a few points where the filming felt a bit overly dramatic, but not many.

The acting was superb, particularly on the part of Depp who played Dillinger. While I've read a few reviews that faulted the film for not providing insight into why Dillinger was the way he was. When watching the film I was under the impression that this background information was not important. As stated in the film when Depp, playing Dillinger, summarizes his life story in about two sentences.

Needless to say I recommend this movie. Its worth it for Depp alone (acting and looks...), but if you were hoping to see a movie offering more insight into the life of John Dillinger than I suggest looking elsewhere.