海角大神

鈥淏lack Mass,鈥� the film which stars Johnny Depp as convicted Boston mobster James 鈥淲hitey鈥� Bulger, opens on Sept. 18 amid critical acclaim for Depp鈥檚 performance.

The movie co-stars Benedict Cumberbatch, Joel Edgerton, and Dakota Johnson. It depicts the life of Bulger, who became involved with the FBI and was on the run for many years before being captured in 2011. He is currently serving two life sentences and an additional five years.

鈥淢ass鈥� is based on the book of the same name by Dick Lehr and Gerard O鈥橬eill.

Many critics have praised Depp鈥檚 performance in particular. Depp comes to the role after starring in such recent critically panned films as this year鈥檚 鈥淢ortdecai,鈥� the 2014 movie 鈥淭ranscendence,鈥� and 2013鈥檚 鈥淭he Lone Ranger.鈥澛�

Depp鈥檚 turn in 鈥淏lack Mass鈥� 鈥渂etter than he鈥檚 been in years,鈥� 鈥渙ne of his best,鈥� and 鈥渞ichly absorbing.鈥�

Critics are also praising the rest of the cast, which includes Kevin Bacon, Corey Stoll, Peter Sarsgaard, and Adam Scott.

鈥淸Depp鈥檚] co-stars are even better 鈥� Cumberbatch is so riveting and suavely unpleasant鈥� [and] Edgerton鈥� is full-throated and gripping,鈥� wrote . the cast 鈥渢op-notch鈥� and 鈥渋mpressive."聽

But some felt that they鈥檇 seen some of the sequences in the movie before. wrote that the film 鈥渇eels familiar and derivative in some respects,鈥� referencing the 鈥淕odfather鈥� movies.

referenced the Martin Scorsese film 鈥淕oodfellas鈥� and the movie 鈥淪carface,鈥� writing, 鈥淸Director Scott] Cooper鈥檚 working in a genre that鈥檚 become so familiar to us that we鈥檙e able to see most of his film鈥檚 beats coming before they arrive.鈥澛�

Many reviewers also felt a crucial aspect of the film was unexplored: the relationship between Bulger and his brother William Bulger, who became the president of the Massachusetts state Senate and president of the University of Massachusetts. The relationship is 鈥減otential dramatic dynamite, yet it鈥檚 almost entirely unexplored,鈥� one wrote, while called it 鈥渁 fascinating dynamic that could have 鈥� and should have 鈥� been more fleshed out in the film.鈥澛�

What effect does it have on us when criminals are portrayed by movie stars?

felt that 鈥淢ass鈥� was not admiring of Bulger or his doings, writing that the film 鈥渟carcely glamorizes Bulger's complete allegiance to a life of crime,鈥� but called Depp鈥檚 portrayal of Bulger 鈥渦ndeniably charismatic.鈥� And no matter how the movie portrays him, Bulger is still being played by Depp, one of the biggest movie stars in the world. Some have felt crime movies make the lifestyle look appealing as far back as the 1967 movie 鈥淏onnie and Clyde.鈥�

Interestingly, Bulger himself recently weighed in on this. After high school students wrote to him asking about the idea of legacy, he wrote back, 鈥淭here are many people more deserving of your time and interests鈥� Don鈥檛 waste your time on such as I鈥� My life was wasted and spent foolishly.鈥�