black mass
Johnny Depp goes deep undercover as Whitey Bulger.
It’s fair to say that Johnny Depp hasn’t been on the strongest run of late. Which is why audiences at CinemaCon were all the more stunned by the first footage from true-life gangster story Black Mass.
Director Scott Cooper ( Crazy Heart, Out Of The Furnace) believes the comeback hype, calling Depp’s turn “a performance for the ages”. Barely recognisable behind pale contacts and a receding blond hairline, this doesn’t look like another case of dressing-up box indulgence. Depp plays James ‘Whitey’ Bulger, the notorious Boston native who frequented the FBI’s Most Wanted list, in the decades-spanning story.
In a dinner-party scene that forms the backbone of the film’s teaser trailer, Depp manages to turn a simple exchange about a family-secret recipe into something terrifying. The occasional Jack Sparrow calls Bulger “a fascinating creature”, but won’t be playing a one-dimensional villain. “There’s gotta be something in there that’s human,” he admits.
And if the thought of a return-to-form Depp isn’t enough of a draw, Cooper has quietly assembled one of the year’s most impressive ensembles. Amid the eclectic mix are the likes of Benedict Cumberbatch (as Bulger’s politico brother), Joel Edgerton, Juno Temple, Dakota Johnson, Kevin Bacon and Adam Scott.
Cooper himself credits the material for drawing in the talent. “I think actors really hunger for character-driven pieces and compelling stories,” he says. “Here you have one that’s telling the story of one of the most notorious gangsters in Boston’s history while his brother was the most feared and alpha politician in the city.” Sounds like Depp’s winning streak might be back on. MM ETA | 25 September 2015 Black Mass opens later this year.