Black Mass

**Spoiler Alert**

Director: Scott Cooper/Starring: Johnny Depp, Joel Edgerton, Benedict Cumberbatch, Kevin Bacon, Dakota Johnson, Peter Sarsgaard, Jesse Plemons, Julianne Nicholson, Adam Scott and David Harbour

By now most people should be fairly familiar with the story of James "Whitey" Bulger; Boston's one time crime kingpin and leader of the notorious White Hill Gang; who operated with impunity in the 1970s' and early 80s'. His capture in 2011 made national headlines while a documentary by Joe Berlinger garnered critical acclaim in theaters in 2014. So, I pose a question once reserved for filmmakers who have seen fit to flood theaters with flicks about Steve Jobs: do we need another film about Bulger and if so, what more do we need to know? Director Scott Cooper (Out of the Furnace, Crazy Heart) must think the story is incomplete, for here we are again with Black Mass, based on the book of the same name by Dick Lehr and Gerard O'Neill. But Cooper's film isn't a biopic or even a character study. Though Bulger is the cynosural focus, it is his unholy alliance with the FBI that serves as the film's narrative center.

The story is told mainly in flashback, as we see respective members of the White Hill Gang sitting before an FBI agent, offering confessionals and relating their stories.

The film begins in mid-seventies South Boston. A south-side tough named Kevin Weeks (Jesse Plemons) guards the door to the bar which serves as Bulger's headquarters. When three men try to gain entrance, a brutal round of fisticuffs breaks out, which necessitates Bulger's intervention. Impressed by Kevin's scrappy defense, Bulger appoints the young man to his muscle detail.

As Bulger's gang makes incursions into Italian mob territory, an FBI agent assigned to rid the city of organized crime, John Connolly (Joel Edgerton) decides to enlist Bulger's help. What makes the idea particularly fascinating is Connolly's relationship with Bulger (a scary Johnny Depp), who was once a chum from his old south-side neighborhood. When the two meet, Bulger is wary of John's agenda. John proposes an alliance that would ensure the defeat of the Italian mobs in exchange for Bulger's complete freedom from arrest and FBI harassment. Seeing the deal as self-advantageous, Bulger agrees to an alliance in spite of his reluctance to help the FBI. Bulger's other ally is his younger brother Billy (Benedict Cumberbatch), a member of the Massachusetts state senate who turns a blind eye to his brother's illicit affairs.

John's deal with Bulger draws heat from his superiors; particularly his boss Charles McGuire (Kevin Bacon), who would like nothing more than to bring the kingpin to justice.

In early scenes, we see just how brutal Bulger can be when he and Kevin drive an Italian mobster to a secluded location before beating him savagely. Bulger's lack of concern about reprisals is consistent with his fearlessness and his disquieting volatility. Watching Bulger dispatch a fellow gang-member days after being challenged in the bar, we are never sure how he will behave or respond, which keeps associates (and the audience) in a constant state of anxiety and fear.

We also see some of Bulger's personal life. Bulger visits his girlfriend Lyndsey (Dakota Johnson) and his son Douglas. During a meal, Bulger is reprimanded by Lyndsey for giving their son advice on how to avoid being punished for hitting someone in the face. In another scene, we see Bulger having dinner with his brother and his mother; a momentary glimpse into his family life.

But mostly we see Bulger at work; encroaching on Italian mob territory and executing those who get in his way.

As time passes, Bulger provides the FBI with little in the way of useful information though John pressures him to honor his deal. McGuire begins to lose patience and begins to wonder why the FBI is letting Bulger operate with impunity.

In time, Bulger becomes more ambitious. His involvement in the business of the sport Jai-alai; a Latin-American sport that briefly gained popularity in the U.S. in the 1970s evolves from mild interest to active partner. Before long, Bulger wrests control of the business from its founders by intimidation and murder, drawing more of the FBI's attention and ire.

Connolly's wife Marianne (Julianne Nicholson), like her husband's FBI superiors, sees his partnership with Bulger for what it is; a dangerous and immoral conflict of interest. Connolly invites Bulger and a White Hill gang member to dinner where he and another agent named John Morris sit across a table. When Bulger asks John about his wife, he mentions that she is upstairs, feeling ill. Bulger excuses himself from the table to visit her, which becomes a study in dark, psycho-sexual seduction and intimidation. Bulger is both menacing and creepy when he runs his hand over Marianne's face; her revulsion and fear palpable.

Before long, both McGuire and Fred Wyshak (Cory Stoll); an aggressive, results-oriented district attorney who is also eager to see Bulger behind bars pressure Connolly further. Wyshak's integrity is such that he refuses Connolly's bribe of two Red-Sox tickets; giving him a dressing down instead that leaves him speechless.

Where Bulger's ambitions lead is hardly a mystery. As I mentioned earlier, the story is so familiar now after Berlinger's film, and Scorcese's The Departed; another drama based on Bulger's life. I return to my earlier question: was this film necessary? I suppose it was if only to see Johnny Depp play something other than pirate Jack and Willy Wonka. His performance, though interesting, isn't really infused with any psychological depth or psychic backstory that might shed light on the man's mind. Maybe it's unfair to ask that of an actor playing someone who probably has no depth anyway. I think I've seen more than my fair share of mob films, like Goodfellas, set a nigh-impossible standard to overcome--which makes me ask what new ground does this film claim? There were facts about his life of which I was unaware, like the Jai-alai business, but the film merely fills in more details and facts. This is one time I would have liked to learn something of his upbringing as a "Southey" and his experiences in Alcatraz and Leavenworth that might have shaped his thinking and behavior, as well as his ambitions.

The supporting cast was quite terrific, particularly Joel Edgerton, Julianne Nicholson and Dakota Johnson, who showed more range here than 50 Shades.

High marks for the production design, which captured the gritty look of 1970s' Boston; aided in part by the use of city locales.

I enjoyed the film and Depp's Bulger, but as more time is displaced between me and the screening, it seems less impressive, in spite of the excellent performances. The photos of Depp in his blue contacts and slicked hair are something from a horror film rather than real life. His appearance is an exaggeration of Bulger's, which becomes more a distraction than an attempt at physical accuracy.

I wouldn't dissuade anyone from seeing Cooper's film. I might even recommend it but my recommendation would come buried under a pile of reservations. See it to see some fine acting and Johnny Depp or, if you can't get enough of Whitey Bulger, you might be inspired by that reason alone. Otherwise; I can't think of other reasons.

The Imitation Game

**Spoiler Alert**

Director: Morten Tyldum/Starring: Benedict Cumberbatch, Keira Knightley, Mark Strong, Matthew Goode, and Charles Dance

The Enigma Machine has been the subject of various films; either as an object to be stolen or as a peripheral item in World War II dramas. Now, the machine and its creator; Alan Turing, are the focus of an engaging new film by the Norwegian director Morten Tyldum.

Turing is one of the more controversial historical figures of the 20th century. A brilliant mathematician and logician, his fascinating life was cut short by what was reported as a suicide though the circumstances surrounding his death remain inconclusive. In Tyldum's film he emerges as a messy mosaic of genius, psychological quirks and off-putting foibles.

The Imitation Game isn't a hagiographic bio-pic or a garden variety thriller one might find on cable T.V.; it is an exciting dramatization of events leading up to the decryption of German military codes in WWII that were thought to be unbreakable. Secrets are a theme in the film; those unveiled on the personal and governmental levels almost always have a devastating impact.

The story begins years after the war, in early 1950s' England when a burglary at Alan Turing's home led to an investigation which uncovered some damning information that would lead to his arrest. What he was guilty for becomes clearer as the drama unfolds.

The story continues with British intelligence officer Commander Denniston conducting interviews for a team assigned to crack the German code machine Enigma. One candidate, Alan Turing (Benedict Cumberbatch), is confident to the point of arrogance but manages to be assigned to the team. Turing defends his suitability for the position by mentioning his passion for puzzles and games involving secret codes. The interview is an entertaining exchange of sparkling wit between Denniston and Turing.

After Turing joins the team, he proves to be a tireless and determined worker; so much so that he demands to be assigned the role of group leader. Of course he is rebuffed by the chief of MI6; Stewart Menzies (Mark Strong), but the officer half-jokingly suggests Turing contact his boss Winston Churchill when the mathematician boldly threatens to go over his head. The team and Menzies himself are shocked when Turing does just that and are miffed when he succeeds in securing the lead.

Turing; awkward, strange and hardly a people person, wastes little time in firing two team members then sets about building an elaborate machine he claims will break Enigma. The rest of the team is naturally resentful, which casts Turing in an adversarial role the project can ill-afford.

To replace the personnel he fired, Turing organizes a test whereby the applicants must complete a crossword of his own devising under 6 minutes. Into the male-dominant test room comes a young woman named Joan Clarke (Keira Knightely), who is regarded mostly as a curiosity by Turing and participants alike. Clarke completes the test in less than 6 minutes, earning her a place on the team; much to the annoyance of her parents, who can't countenance their daughter working and living among men.

As work begins, Menzies is keen to explain the dire need to decipher the Enigma codes by mentioning how many soldiers have died while the group chats. Scenes of British ships burning and half-sunk are intercut with the dialogue, giving the audience a clear and frightening picture of the Enigma machine's devastating impact on the war.

The process of breaking the code is maddening and frustrating. One of Enigma's diabolical features is its ability to be reset everyday, which renders the code-breaking team's work utterly useless if the daily codes remain unbroken. The sound of an alarm signalling the end of the code-breaking day arouses anger and near-violent agitation. The sound also reminds the audience of the plot's ticking clock. As the days wear on, the team endures many failures and setbacks. Meanwhile, Turing's ingenious, anti-Enigma machine, though brilliant, lacks the elusive information that will unlock the German machine's secrets.

In the midst of the team's efforts are the unfolding dramas that transpire outside work. Because Joan's parents refuse to allow their daughter to be part of the team, Turing solves the problem by proposing to her, which she accepts.

The film also frequently breaks from the present to examine Turing's past. We see Turing's school days, where he was often the target of pranks, ridicule and sometimes scorn. In a cafeteria scene, the young Turing obsessively prevents the different foods on his plate from touching one another, which reveals what is now called Asperger's Syndrome. His schoolmates choose to mock his obsessive/compulsive disorder by dumping a huge bowl of vegetables over his head and food.

In the hostile atmosphere of the school, Turing forms a special friendship with a classmate, one that often involves passing notes with encrypted messages only the two boys can decipher. We see Turing's fascination with secret codes was established early on.

How the group eventually breaks the code comes by way of something seemingly mundane a woman mentions casually in a bar. But the triumph of deciphering the code is short lived, for Turing realizes that the information stolen from the Enigma must be used sparingly, lest the Germans discover their transmissions have been compromised, which might prompt them to change the codes. What this amounts to is the tragic understanding that they must decide when and where and for whom the information must be deployed, which means many will die though many will also be saved. It leaves them with a god-like responsibility none in the group relish.

During the code-breaking effort, it comes to MI6's attention that someone on the team is feeding information to the Russians. Turing is suspected at first but later the culprit becomes known to the mathematician. Little can be done, for the culprit threatens to divulge Turing's secret if the person is exposed.

The secret Turing guards is his homosexuality, which blossomed during his school days when he fell in love with the boy who befriended him. Secrets, as mentioned earlier, play a significant role in the film. The exposure of some major secrets lead a nation to victory, while other secrets condemn (in Turing's case) or conceal illicit behavior (the group member passing secrets to the Russians).

But it is Turing who proves to be the most fascinating character. It is astonishing to consider that a brilliant, gay mathematician with Asperger's Syndrome was mostly responsible for securing the allied victory. His efforts have been given short shrift in WWII annals.

I'm beginning to think Benedict Cumberbatch could play an ice cube and give it depth and dimension. His performance alone is worth the price of admission. And though Keira Knightley is an actress who usually annoys me to the quick, she is quite terrific in Tyldum's film, as is the strong supporting cast, led by Mark Strong and Matthew Goode.

What befell Turing later was tragic, as British authorities punished him for his orientation, which was considered a criminal offense in Great Britain at the time. Part of his probation involved receiving hormone treatments to suppress his libido (!) The end titles inform us that Turing received a pardon by the British government and the Crown in 2013.

One of The Imitation Game's great qualities is its refusal to sentimentalize Turing or his life. His story echoes that of T.E. Lawrence; another brilliant hero who happened to be a homosexual and an eccentric. Turing's accomplishments beggar belief yet his own government found it fit to criminalize him. Sometimes the world exacts a heavy price from geniuses for being complicated.