Black Mass

Ok, so the one thing that bothered me was Johnny Depp's blue contacts.  I do not know what color Bulger's eyes were, but I didn't really think about it until I saw those contacts.  They kind of took me out of his performance.  I knew there was a Japanese guy in the Godzilla suit the whole time.  

But it was still a decent movie.  It made me think about institutions like the FBI and how they are made up of individuals.  Some of those individuals may be honest hardworking Americans, but some of them are not.  I think that when organizations are first founded, like the FBI, CIA, and other law enforcement groups, they are full of right minded people, but after they become an institution, a different type of person is there, someone that may not be all that honest.  Also, it made me think of that whole thin blue line, us against them, attitude that exists, especially after their organization is revealed to have less than desirable elements working within their ranks.  To bring another trite saying out, if the shoe fits, wear it.  The thing that makes the US great is that we air our dirty laundry.  

Joel Edgerton was perfectly slimy playing the dirtbag FBI agent John Connolly.  You just squirm in your seat as you watch him gather information for his killer friend Bulger.  Also Peter Sarsgard is unrecognizable playing a coked up bad guy, amazing performance.  I think there were many great performances by the supporting actors.  

I was worried that this movie would glorify violence and make Bulger out to be an anti-hero, like Goodfellas.  I remember after I got out of Goodfellas, I wanted to join the mafia, they made it look like so much fun.  But this was dark and sad, Bulger was just a paranoid crazy guy that killed anyone that might get him in trouble.  I just hope that criminal investigators and investigative reporters keep doing what they do and fighting the good fight.