Movie Reviews: "Public Enemies" - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

JamesG · 07-01-2009, 05:36 PM

Movie Reviews: Public Enemies
1 July 2009 11:21 AM, PDT

With Public Enemies, Michael Mann has delivered a drama about a gangster whose name does not end in a vowel that has drawn the kind of praise from critics that they had previously reserved for the likes of The Sopranos.

Manohla Dargis in the New York Times describes the movie about the last days of John Dillinger as "a grave and beautiful work of art." She adds that it "looks and plays like no other American gangster film I can think of."

That is the theme of several other reviews.

"You might not think it was possible to make a film about the most famous outlaw of the 1930s without cliches and 'star chemistry' and a film class screenplay structure, but Mann does it," writes Roger Ebert in the Chicago Sun-Times.

"The beauty and the skill of the filmmaking keep you tightly in its grasp," says Kenneth Turan in the Los Angeles Times.

Claudia Puig in USA Today comments, "An action film that feels like an epic, Public Enemies is an exciting and stylish slice of Americana."

"The film is gripping and efficient," says Roger Moore in the Orlando Sentinel, noting that Johnny Depp as gangster John Dillinger and Christian Bale as G-man Melvin Purvis "make compelling enemies with charisma to burn."

And comparing it to its rivals at the box office, Tom Maurstad in the Dallas Morning News remarks that the movie "appears as an oasis of adult entertainment."

On the other hand, Lou Lumenick in the New York Post calls the film, "disappointing, curiously uninvolving."

Joe Neumaier in the New York Daily News faults it for being "underconceived."

And Dan Zak in the Washington Post faults Johnny Depp, who "dials down his weirdness to play gangster John Dillinger and, ironically, this choice sinks the movie."

-IMDB News

ponytail · 07-02-2009, 06:19 AM

To each his own. I haven't seen it yet but I know JD fans will probably love it.

JamesG · 07-02-2009, 11:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ponytail

To each his own. I haven't seen it yet but I know JD fans will probably love it.

To me this one looks good.

I read the book of the same name this is based on; the book pretty much went into the origins of the FBI and talked about Bonnie & Clyde and Ma Barker's gang among many. It was a good read.

isiahthomas · 07-11-2009, 01:08 PM

I'm gonna see it at the end of this month or maybe in September if it's still at the movies.

browneyes106 · 07-11-2009, 04:04 PM

I saw this last weekend and I thought it was well done. Depp and Bale gave good performances.

comedyfreak · 07-12-2009, 06:42 PM

I really want to see this one, I'm waiting on my Sister in Law and her husband to go see this with them. If they don't hurry I'll go without them.

07-01-2009, 05:36 PM	#1
JamesG Freakshow Moderator Forum Icon Join Date: Feb 01, 2008 Location: Brooklyn, NY Posts: 57,159	Movie Reviews: "Public Enemies" Movie Reviews: Public Enemies 1 July 2009 11:21 AM, PDT With Public Enemies, Michael Mann has delivered a drama about a gangster whose name does not end in a vowel that has drawn the kind of praise from critics that they had previously reserved for the likes of The Sopranos. Manohla Dargis in the New York Times describes the movie about the last days of John Dillinger as "a grave and beautiful work of art." She adds that it "looks and plays like no other American gangster film I can think of." That is the theme of several other reviews. "You might not think it was possible to make a film about the most famous outlaw of the 1930s without cliches and 'star chemistry' and a film class screenplay structure, but Mann does it," writes Roger Ebert in the Chicago Sun-Times. "The beauty and the skill of the filmmaking keep you tightly in its grasp," says Kenneth Turan in the Los Angeles Times. Claudia Puig in USA Today comments, "An action film that feels like an epic, Public Enemies is an exciting and stylish slice of Americana." "The film is gripping and efficient," says Roger Moore in the Orlando Sentinel, noting that Johnny Depp as gangster John Dillinger and Christian Bale as G-man Melvin Purvis "make compelling enemies with charisma to burn." And comparing it to its rivals at the box office, Tom Maurstad in the Dallas Morning News remarks that the movie "appears as an oasis of adult entertainment." On the other hand, Lou Lumenick in the New York Post calls the film, "disappointing, curiously uninvolving." Joe Neumaier in the New York Daily News faults it for being "underconceived." And Dan Zak in the Washington Post faults Johnny Depp, who "dials down his weirdness to play gangster John Dillinger and, ironically, this choice sinks the movie." -IMDB News

07-12-2009, 06:42 PM	#6
comedyfreak Cheers! Forum Fanatic Join Date: Dec 14, 2005 Location: Sunny California Posts: 11,061	I really want to see this one, I'm waiting on my Sister in Law and her husband to go see this with them. If they don't hurry I'll go without them.
	__________________ www.facebook.com/comedyfreak

07-02-2009, 06:19 AM	#2
ponytail Member Forum 4000 Club Member Join Date: Mar 20, 2004 Location: In Happy, Healthy, Wealthyville Posts: 4,273	To each his own. I haven't seen it yet but I know JD fans will probably love it.

07-11-2009, 01:08 PM	#4
isiahthomas Member Forum Fanatic Join Date: Aug 20, 2002 Location: Cleveland, Ohio Posts: 10,704	I'm gonna see it at the end of this month or maybe in September if it's still at the movies.

07-11-2009, 04:04 PM	#5
browneyes106 Member Forum Veteran Join Date: Apr 01, 2008 Posts: 6,094	I saw this last weekend and I thought it was well done. Depp and Bale gave good performances.