You've got the same South Boston setting, the same unscrupulous lowlifes, the same duplicitous cops, the same '70s-era rock hits and even the same bad guy more or less, as the Jack Nicholson gangster in Scorsese's film was loosely based on Bulger and his stint as one of the nation's most notorious crimelords.
Unfortunately, it's those similarities that give Black Mass that "been there, done that" vibe and ultimately cloud an otherwise exceptional performance from star Johhny Depp.
Depp, who has seemed content living in the shadow of Jack Sparrow the last 10 years, slips into the skin of Bulger with the ease of trying on a well-worn glove. With his Southie drawl, thinning blond hair and ice-blue eyes, Depp masterfully balances his performance between soft-spoken nurturer and unholy menance. One second he's talking up the merits of orange juice to his small son, the next he's strangling a woman inside his mother's house. It's a glaring reminder of the type of talent Depp still possesses, one that should warrant serious consideration come Oscar time.
Black Mass really doesn't offer audiences anything new to chew on. But if it gets Johnny Depp to seek out more challenging rolls, it'll have served its purpose. Grade: B -
