Public Enemies (Mann, 2009)

[kaytee]

Marion Cotillard, Johnny Depp, Christian Bale, Channing Tatum, Giovanni Ribisi, David Wenham, Stephen Dorff star in Michael Mann directed crime drama.

Based on the non-fiction book by Brian Burroughs, Public Enemies takes a detailed look at the creation of the FBI which came after America’s greatest crime wave during the 1930s. Christian Bale stars as agent Melvin Purvis who brought down John Dillinger, played by Johnny Depp.

[ak]

That's a motherfucker of a cast. Welcome back, Michael Mann.

[ozzylogic]

Sounds interesting!

[theoddball]

Woah! Depp as Dillinger.

[kaytee]

First Pic of Depp...

[ak]

I have a feeling Depp is going to pull a killer accent, among other things.

[kaytee]

Billy Crudup has been set to play FBI director J. Edgar Hoover in "Public Enemies," the Michael Mann-directed crime drama for Universal that stars Johnny Depp as John Dillinger

[ak]

Hearing that Mann is using shooting digital, using the Thomson Viper again. "Public Enemies" is a period piece, so its pretty ballsy of him. Then again, after "Miami Vice," I didn't think he'd go back to film.

[ak]

The new trailer has arrived, and I am in utter shock...from the horribly distracting digital look! Shot on the Sony F23 by Dante Spinotti (L.A. Confidential), but you'd be forgiven for thinking it was made by a very talented YouTuber.

[kaytee]

I hate that trailer. Gave the whole fucking movie away.

[shariqq]

Thanks for the tips guys, I'll skip it.

[ak]

Thanks, Michael Mann and Dante Spinotti: Public Enemies looks like my favorite daytime sitcom!

[shariqq]

I did finally watch the trailer - and it looks completely wrong. I'm with ak on this. Mann's showing us his home-video skills.

[ak]

I couldn't go to a very special private screening of this, but my friend did (big Michael Mann fan, understands his work very well) and he was quite disappointed by Public Enemies ("...long, unexciting characters, but Marion Cotillard steals the show, even from Depp"). He also told me that Mann was in attendance and was literally making profuse notes.

[ayaa1977]

I couldn't go to a very special private screening of this, but my friend did (big Michael Mann fan, understands his work very well) and he was quite disappointed by Public Enemies ("...long, unexciting characters, but Marion Cotillard steals the show, even from Depp"). He also told me that Mann was in attendance and was literally making profuse notes.

Well I would say I envy you, but saying that would get old soon, lol.
As for your friend's comment on Marion Cotillard's performance, even though she was in the trailer for a small bit, I got the vibe that she'd do great. I guess crazy flamboyant roles suit her. After all, she got her Oscar this way.

Speaking of flamboyant, I was reflecting on Christian Bale's body of work. I don't think he would get the recognition he deserves in Hollywood and I will tell you why. In 3:10 to Yuma, The Dark Knight, and now in Public Enemies, all these three films he plays the lesser glamorous person to Russell Craw, Heath Ledger, and Johnny Depp in respective. He is always the straight faced man who lacks the smallest shred of irony. Therefore, the limelight evades him and lands on the other man.
 
That only time I remember he got to get the shinning crazy part was when he did American Psycho, and that is to me his most memorable role after 10 years. While Johnny Depp played the quirky show stealing Pirate Jack Sparw and got himself one Oscar and two Golden Globes nominations. So subtle doesn't take you far comes awards season, that the morale of this story, sad but true.