Black Mass-trailer

[superjohn]

Can't wait for this, I love true crime movies and there is no criminal story more interesting than Whitey Bulger's reign over Boston. This is going to be dark as hell and should be Johnny Depp's best role in years if not ever, the whole cast is top notch.

 

[Dogdeacon]

Too soon. Can't get excited about Hollywood making a movie about this thug while the guy is still alive and reveling in the attention even though its now in jail.
It somehow troubles me that someone would even be willing to portray this character, shows lack of human empathy. Doesn't matter that he killed all these people & manipulated the FBI and much of Boston, let's make some money off it.

 

[G0UCONN]

Depp is great in that clip. If that good the whole movie, he will be in the mix for an Oscar.

 

[superjohn]

Too soon. Can't get excited about Hollywood making a movie about this thug while the guy is still alive and reveling in the attention even though its now in jail.
It somehow troubles me that someone would even be willing to portray this character, shows lack of human empathy. Doesn't matter that he killed all these people & manipulated the FBI and much of Boston, let's make some money off it.

I've often heard people describe Whitey as manipulating the FBI, that seems a bit ridiculous to me, his handlers were corrupt as all hell.

 

[mauconnfan]

Too soon. Can't get excited about Hollywood making a movie about this thug while the guy is still alive and reveling in the attention even though its now in jail.
It somehow troubles me that someone would even be willing to portray this character, shows lack of human empathy. Doesn't matter that he killed all these people & manipulated the FBI and much of Boston, let's make some money off it.

It's True American crime and real life manipulation of our law enforcement. It's not just a good story whenever it comes out, it's a great story. I've been captivated by Whitey and his crew since he became a fugitive and I read all they did. I mean it deserves to be in film, our country allowed this guy to live in a shadow and how he made that happen in truly good viewing to me. As GO said, if Depp is that good throughout this may enter into an all time favorite for me. Can't wait.

 

[Dogdeacon]

I've often heard people describe Whitey as manipulating the FBI, that seems a bit ridiculous to me, his handlers were corrupt as all hell.

Its both, he manipulated his corrupt as hell handlers and the FBI in the process. The handlers were certainly more responsible for lying and getting manipulated but then that's ultimately the fault of the organization.

I get that its good entertainment, but we simply have to also acknowledge that the people he hurt and their families exist and its a little sickening that the ordeal will be glorified in a movie. I just wish Whitey would be dead and gone before it got made.

 

[John]

Wasn't this already done in The Departed?

 

[billythekid]

Depp seemed to be channeling Christopher Walken in that scene. And I mean that in a good way.

 

[Dogdeacon]

Wasn't this already done in The Departed?

No The Departed plot was a direct remake of a Hong Kong film called "Internal Affairs". There is/was some talk that particularly Nicholson tried to base his character on Whitey, but it was a completely different story.

And FWIW at the time that movie was made (06) Bulger was missing and presumed dead, he since was captured in 2011 which is what kind of completes the story & makes it very film worthy. Ironically for myself, I have to admit I was somewhat disappointed at the time of The Departed because having read Black Mass and heard of the alleged 'partially based on Whitey Bulger' background, I thought the Departed story was TOO UNLIKE Whitey's story. Again, that wasn't the films flaw as it was simply a retelling of another fictional story.

I can claim some consistency in asserting that when Whitey is missing or dead the story is worth telling in its whole. But it better be damn careful about glorifying this guy. This isn't a fictional godfather where you can analyze the killing of your naïve brother or betraying brother-in-law. Whitey killed 2 young girlfriends, an innocent guy who happened to give the wrong guy a ride home and numerous others ONLY to protect himself from getting caught. That he did this while manipulating a stupid FBI agent (or agents) and convincing an entire Boston neighborhood that he was their protector not corruptor is very interesting, but its nothing to be celebrated.

If the film used or consulted with the two Globe writers that authored Black Mass it has a chance of being true to the despicable reign of terror that Whitey perpetrated. But looking at the credits (two relatively inexperienced movie screenwriters adapting the book), Director Barry Levinson drops out and all the pretty Hollywood people in the movie (Depp, Sienna Miller, Cumberbatch, Dakota Johnson) I don't have high hopes for this being a true-to-life retelling of the scumbaggery. Just read a review of the script that was very unfavorable (story told through the eyes of Connelly, the now in jail dumba$$ FBI agent that thought he was using Bulger as an informant while in reality Bulger was playing him, Connelly = Joel Edgerton). The problem with this is Connelly was either a complete boob or a selfish, money grubbing sociopath - probably a little of both but more of the former. Sorry to be Debbie Downer, but this might bomb.

 

[superjohn]

"Manipulating a stu

No The Departed plot was a direct remake of a Hong Kong film called "Internal Affairs". There is/was some talk that particularly Nicholson tried to base his character on Whitey, but it was a completely different story.

And FWIW at the time that movie was made (06) Bulger was missing and presumed dead, he since was captured in 2011 which is what kind of completes the story & makes it very film worthy. Ironically for myself, I have to admit I was somewhat disappointed at the time of The Departed because having read Black Mass and heard of the alleged 'partially based on Whitey Bulger' background, I thought the Departed story was TOO UNLIKE Whitey's story. Again, that wasn't the films flaw as it was simply a retelling of another fictional story.

I can claim some consistency in asserting that when Whitey is missing or dead the story is worth telling in its whole. But it better be damn careful about glorifying this guy. This isn't a fictional godfather where you can analyze the killing of your naïve brother or betraying brother-in-law. Whitey killed 2 young girlfriends, an innocent guy who happened to give the wrong guy a ride home and numerous others ONLY to protect himself from getting caught. That he did this while manipulating a stupid FBI agent (or agents) and convincing an entire Boston neighborhood that he was their protector not corruptor is very interesting, but its nothing to be celebrated.

If the film used or consulted with the two Globe writers that authored Black Mass it has a chance of being true to the despicable reign of terror that Whitey perpetrated. But looking at the credits (two relatively inexperienced movie screenwriters adapting the book), Director Barry Levinson drops out and all the pretty Hollywood people in the movie (Depp, Sienna Miller, Cumberbatch, Dakota Johnson) I don't have high hopes for this being a true-to-life retelling of the scumbaggery. Just read a review of the script that was very unfavorable (story told through the eyes of Connelly, the now in jail dumba$$ FBI agent that thought he was using Bulger as an informant while in reality Bulger was playing him, Connelly = Joel Edgerton). The problem with this is Connelly was either a complete boob or a selfish, money grubbing sociopath - probably a little of both but more of the former. Sorry to be Debbie Downer, but this might bomb.

"Manipulating a stupid FBI agent (or agents). Again it sounds like you are trying to minimize the FBI's culpability, they helped create this monster and turned him into the king of Boston's underworld. They knew he was killing and ran the city, blood is on their hands. Matt Damon's character is completely based off of Connelly. He was a kid in the neighborhood and was in awe of Whitey, the introduction to Whitey in The Departed where he comes in the neighborhood corner store and gives Matt Damon's character a bag of groceries to bring home is pretty much lifted straight from Whitey and Connelly. Connelly knew what Whitey was doing all those years and he wasn't the only one in the FBI who knew. Connelly's last move was to tell Whitey the hammer was finally coming down and it was time for him to make his run out of town to evade capture.

 

[Dogdeacon]

I think we agree. I was not trying to minimize the FBI's blame in creating and essentially giving Whitey a get out of jail free pass on every damn crime he committed. I'm sure it went up more than the one or two levels that got punished.
It's been at least 10 years since I read the books but key difference with Connelly vs the Damon character is Damon was a groomed mole from teenager whereas although Connelly was from South Boston (& I don't recall but the grocery thing could be in black mass or somewhere else) the relationship started as adults. I believe Connolly used the Bulger connection to rise in his FBI status and career. I think he had to be selfish, naive and stupid to do this and although the FBI itself is complicit and covered up etc. Connelly 100% deserves to be in jail for the rest of his life. I think it took 10 years after Whiteys escape to convict him which is/was part of the coverup and ultimately scapegoating so just Connelly took the fall. Some other FBI agents particularly the guy that ran Boston should have same but I don't recall much more than diminished duties ala that other Boston corrupt sociopath Cardinal Law.

 

[superjohn]

I think we agree. I was not trying to minimize the FBI's blame in creating and essentially giving Whitey a get out of jail free pass on every damn crime he committed. I'm sure it went up more than the one or two levels that got punished.
It's been at least 10 years since I read the books but key difference with Connelly vs the Damon character is Damon was a groomed mole from teenager whereas although Connelly was from South Boston (& I don't recall but the grocery thing could be in black mass or somewhere else) the relationship started as adults. I believe Connolly used the Bulger connection to rise in his FBI status and career. I think he had to be selfish, naive and stupid to do this and although the FBI itself is complicit and covered up etc. Connelly 100% deserves to be in jail for the rest of his life. I think it took 10 years after Whiteys escape to convict him which is/was part of the coverup and ultimately scapegoating so just Connelly took the fall. Some other FBI agents particularly the guy that ran Boston should have same but I don't recall much more than diminished duties ala that other Boston corrupt sociopath Cardinal Law.

Cardinal Law belongs in a cell with Whitey, a couple months ago I listened to all the loving platitudes given for Cardinal Egan and it made my skin crawl. Ok back to Whitey, one of the most amazingly creepy things during all of Whitey and Stephen Flemmi's killings is that during that whole time Flemmi's next door neighbor who lived less than 20 feet away was Billy Bulger. Whitey and Flemmi would sit in the basement dismembering bodies as Whitey's brother who was the most powerful politician in Mass at the time sat in his home next door.

 

[Scalito]

Cardinal Law belongs in a cell with Whitey, a couple months ago I listened to all the loving platitudes given for Cardinal Egan and it made my skin crawl. Ok back to Whitey, one of the most amazingly creepy things during all of Whitey and Stephen Flemmi's killings is that during that whole time Flemmi's next door neighbor who lived less than 20 feet away was Billy Bulger. Whitey and Flemmi would sit in the basement dismembering bodies as Whitey's brother who was the most powerful politician in Mass at the time sat in his home next door.

No way Billy wasn't enabling his brother in some way or kind. I don't know Whitey's story half as well as you, but there's just no way.

 

[Dogdeacon]

No way Billy wasn't enabling his brother in some way or kind. I don't know Whitey's story half as well as you, but there's just no way.

Absolutely, gotta give Mitt Romney credit for being the ones with the balls & fortitude to finally get BBulger out at UMass.

After I posted last night read a Globe article about Connolly's boss John Morris' testimony at Whitey's trial. Morris was just as guilty as Connelly and got immunity for his testimony against Connolly.

 

[nelsonmuntz]

Just came out on HBO. Really good. It was essentially from the viewpoint of Connolly, which was a different take than I was expecting, and I liked it. The one minor complaint is that I am not a huge Edgerton fan. I think the Connolly part was a little too big for him. There was one scene in particular that bugs me.