A Severely Underrated Johnny Depp Film Is Taking Over Streaming
Johnny Depp has played many characters in his long-standing career, but the film which provides his most interesting of roles is currently killing it on streaming.
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Johnny Depp is currently locked in a heated legal battle with his ex-wife, Amber Heard. While the entire country waits to see what might come of the defamation suit that could pay him $50 million, he remains one of the best actors in the world. He was released from the Fantastic Beasts franchise as a result of the ongoing issues between himself and Heard, but he still has an extensive catalog that fans can appreciate. In fact, one of his most underrated movies is currently in the top 10 on HBO Max. That severely underrated venture is that of Black Mass, the film which sees the actor transforms into the famous American mobster, James “Whitey” Bulger.
Black Mass may not have been one of the biggest box office draws, but the film is truly one of a kind. The film had a $53 million budget and only made $99 million at worldwide box offices. While it may not have made a ton of money, it truly stands as one of Depp’s most intriguing roles. Johnny Depp completely transformed from the brown-skinned actor that everyone knows into a pale white figure with icy blue eyes. He was also given the thinning and slick back hair that Whitey had in his later years. Honestly, he looks completely different. You can see his wild transformation below:
If anyone were to look at the above photo, they would have not guessed this was Johnny Depp. The makeup artists for this film should have received a lot more awards and nominations than the ones the film received from the Saturn and Critics Choice awards. Black Mass also saw Depp receive plenty of Best Actor awards across many of the more unknown and underground awards shows. The film currently has a 73% “certified rating” on Rotten Tomatoes. The film also has a lower, but still respectable, 64% audience rating. The critic consensus for the film comments on Depp’s performance being that of “his most compelling performances in years.” The man may have been involved with random features during this time like Into the Woods, Tusk, and Mortdecai, but Black Mass was truly the feature in which he got to shine for his pure acting ability.
Black Mass follows the life of James “Whitey” Bulger, and his grip on organized crime in South Boston during the 1970s. He famously ran the White Hill Gang. Bulger’s gang ran a part of the city and began to challenge things being run by the rival North End syndicate, New England Mafia Family. John Connolly, a long-time friend of Bulger’s and now an FBI agent, returns to the area and gets Whitey to then become an informant to take down the Anguilo Brothers aka the New England Mafia Family. Whitey agrees to help the FBI if only to protect his own family from potentially serving time or being killed by the rival mob outfits in the city. Johnny Depp is joined by an all-star cast that includes Joel Edgerton, Benedict Cumberbatch, Rory Cochrane, Jesse Plemons, and Kevin Bacon. The film follows the true-life accounts of this time period and is based on the book Dick Lehr and Greg O’Neill, Black Mass: The True Story of an Unholy Alliance Between the FBI and the Irish Mob. Depp is truly great in this film. You can see some of his excellence below:
Johnny Depp may be an actor that has appeared in more family-friendly dramas like Pirates of the Caribbean, but he is still one of the best “method” actors in the world. He knows how to envelop a character all the way through, and that is certainly the case in Black Mass. Just from the pictures alone, you can see the man was willing to go to great lengths to capture the essence of Whitey Bulger. He went through a complete transformation every day to just appear as someone else. That’s some dedication.
Black Mass may have flown under the radar in terms of box office numbers and the overall audience acceptance, but it is truly a special Johnny Depp performance. The film is currently in the top 10 on HBO Max for a reason. Take some time to truly take in one of Depp’s more special roles as Whitey Bulger. Fans of true crime will especially love this film, it is completely based on a true story after all.
