Post by ~nickidepphead~ on Feb 17, 2009 16:16:32 GMT
The Playlist : 2009-02-14
Gabe Toro
Script Review: Public Enemies Is Depptastic, Not Baleful
This summer, amongst the flash and dash of kids films like "Transformers" and "G.I. Joe," there's some meaty adult counterprogramming. Thank you, Michael Mann, for populating the marketplace with something for adults, for once- "Public Enemies" is set for a July release date, a crime yarn not unlike Mann's previous work featuring intrepid special agent Melvin Purvis on the pursuit of notorious bank robber John Dillinger. The Playlist has gotten their hands on the script, and we're glad to say it sings.
"Public Enemies" begins with macho professionals engaging in macho activities. A prison break segues into a stirring action sequence, a cops and robbers shootout that introduces you to each character quickly. There's Pierpoint (David Wenham), the impulsive gunman, Makley (Christian Stole), the steady, experienced con, Van Meter (Stephen Dorff), a lightfooted type described as an "unemotional killer", and finally the slick moviestar of the crew, Dillinger (Johnny Depp). Early on, its established that Dillinger views himself as a principled working man, and his smooth one-liners and good looks lead those who encounter him to melt, as evidenced by a family who he encounters that become smitten with his diplomatic sincerity.
The script gets into the flipside of this glamour with a look at square-jawed Purvis (Christian Bale) making his way through the forest, taking down Pretty Boy Floyd (Channing Tatum- a cameo, I presume) and earning placement in J. Edgar Hoover's (Billy Crudup) new anti-Dillinger strike team. While Dillinger is flashy and does appear to love his wife, who he rushes home to, Purvis is a dedicated, insular lawman with no sense of humor or flair. Hm. Sounds nothing like a Christian Bale character.
Hoover is an interesting player in this entire mess, as he is portrayed as a man trying to make a name for himself. On one level, he's principled, sick of the law enforcement and mass media that have given Dillinger a free pass and he thinks the bank robber has made a mockery of the establishment. On another level, his method is a scorched-earth one, and he clearly has the political hierarchy in mind, to the point where he strongly disgusts those around him. He blows smoke up Purvis' ass because he knows that Purvis' strike force is free of corruption, but eventually he shows his face as an opportunist of questionable legality.
After laying low, Dillinger and pals rob a bank, a great sequence with a little bit of Hollywood and a little grit- Mann will nail this- Dillinger absconds with a few female hostages in a scene reminiscient of the Gene Wilder moment in "Bonnie And Clyde." Dillinger then sits down with Alvin Karpis (Giovanni Ribisi), a point man who plans Dillinger's heists and wants to let him know there is no real escape from his life. It's a meaty role for Ribisi, who gets to be world-weary and dead-serious, and it might spell a sort of comeback for him. Karpis can't seem to keep Dillinger's attention, however, because he's distracted by vixen Billie Frechette (Marion Cotillard), a lovely lass at a club that Dillinger is immediately transfixed with.
The romance goes on to become the spine of the film. We see Purvis' boys move in on Dillinger as he continues this ill-fated love affair, all the while are alliegances are twisted between the principled lawman and the daredevil criminal. Purvis is a classic Mann character- yet another law enforcement agent who plays it close to the vest, who is afraid letting his emotions get in the way will interfere with his work, but is unsure whether his case load has overpowered his hopes for a simple life. And Dillinger is a lot like Mann's villains, but most closely resembles Robert DeNiro's Neil McCauley in "Heat," a longtime pro who has lost track of exactly how much time he has left. All the while, Dillinger has seemingly placed his hopes for redemption in Billie's hands, obliviously trapping her in a life of crime.
On a negative note, this could be seen as a pastiche of Michael Mann motifs and cliches, but on the other hand, how is that a bad thing? The story doesn't get too bogged down in the historical elements, and while its beefy (134 pages), the script gives many opportunities for Mann to showcase his handle on mood and atmosphere- in the quiet moments of his films, you really can get into the heads of his protagonists with a well-picked song cue or a certain camera angle. Most importantly, it reads and breathes like a straightforward bit of bigscreen entertainment- the characters are well-defined by the script and instantly evocative, the action sequences zip past with an admirable economy (Mann might be able to get a PG-13 on this) and even though someone may have knowledge of Dillinger's story and Mann's world as I do, its suspenseful and well-paced, with a familiar but effective ending that will leave audiences buzzing. Judging by how the movie schedules work- spring being a dumping ground for midbudget offal- "Public Enemies" has a chance to be the first great studio film of 2009.
Gabe Toro
Script Review: Public Enemies Is Depptastic, Not Baleful
This summer, amongst the flash and dash of kids films like "Transformers" and "G.I. Joe," there's some meaty adult counterprogramming. Thank you, Michael Mann, for populating the marketplace with something for adults, for once- "Public Enemies" is set for a July release date, a crime yarn not unlike Mann's previous work featuring intrepid special agent Melvin Purvis on the pursuit of notorious bank robber John Dillinger. The Playlist has gotten their hands on the script, and we're glad to say it sings.
"Public Enemies" begins with macho professionals engaging in macho activities. A prison break segues into a stirring action sequence, a cops and robbers shootout that introduces you to each character quickly. There's Pierpoint (David Wenham), the impulsive gunman, Makley (Christian Stole), the steady, experienced con, Van Meter (Stephen Dorff), a lightfooted type described as an "unemotional killer", and finally the slick moviestar of the crew, Dillinger (Johnny Depp). Early on, its established that Dillinger views himself as a principled working man, and his smooth one-liners and good looks lead those who encounter him to melt, as evidenced by a family who he encounters that become smitten with his diplomatic sincerity.
The script gets into the flipside of this glamour with a look at square-jawed Purvis (Christian Bale) making his way through the forest, taking down Pretty Boy Floyd (Channing Tatum- a cameo, I presume) and earning placement in J. Edgar Hoover's (Billy Crudup) new anti-Dillinger strike team. While Dillinger is flashy and does appear to love his wife, who he rushes home to, Purvis is a dedicated, insular lawman with no sense of humor or flair. Hm. Sounds nothing like a Christian Bale character.
Hoover is an interesting player in this entire mess, as he is portrayed as a man trying to make a name for himself. On one level, he's principled, sick of the law enforcement and mass media that have given Dillinger a free pass and he thinks the bank robber has made a mockery of the establishment. On another level, his method is a scorched-earth one, and he clearly has the political hierarchy in mind, to the point where he strongly disgusts those around him. He blows smoke up Purvis' ass because he knows that Purvis' strike force is free of corruption, but eventually he shows his face as an opportunist of questionable legality.
After laying low, Dillinger and pals rob a bank, a great sequence with a little bit of Hollywood and a little grit- Mann will nail this- Dillinger absconds with a few female hostages in a scene reminiscient of the Gene Wilder moment in "Bonnie And Clyde." Dillinger then sits down with Alvin Karpis (Giovanni Ribisi), a point man who plans Dillinger's heists and wants to let him know there is no real escape from his life. It's a meaty role for Ribisi, who gets to be world-weary and dead-serious, and it might spell a sort of comeback for him. Karpis can't seem to keep Dillinger's attention, however, because he's distracted by vixen Billie Frechette (Marion Cotillard), a lovely lass at a club that Dillinger is immediately transfixed with.
The romance goes on to become the spine of the film. We see Purvis' boys move in on Dillinger as he continues this ill-fated love affair, all the while are alliegances are twisted between the principled lawman and the daredevil criminal. Purvis is a classic Mann character- yet another law enforcement agent who plays it close to the vest, who is afraid letting his emotions get in the way will interfere with his work, but is unsure whether his case load has overpowered his hopes for a simple life. And Dillinger is a lot like Mann's villains, but most closely resembles Robert DeNiro's Neil McCauley in "Heat," a longtime pro who has lost track of exactly how much time he has left. All the while, Dillinger has seemingly placed his hopes for redemption in Billie's hands, obliviously trapping her in a life of crime.
On a negative note, this could be seen as a pastiche of Michael Mann motifs and cliches, but on the other hand, how is that a bad thing? The story doesn't get too bogged down in the historical elements, and while its beefy (134 pages), the script gives many opportunities for Mann to showcase his handle on mood and atmosphere- in the quiet moments of his films, you really can get into the heads of his protagonists with a well-picked song cue or a certain camera angle. Most importantly, it reads and breathes like a straightforward bit of bigscreen entertainment- the characters are well-defined by the script and instantly evocative, the action sequences zip past with an admirable economy (Mann might be able to get a PG-13 on this) and even though someone may have knowledge of Dillinger's story and Mann's world as I do, its suspenseful and well-paced, with a familiar but effective ending that will leave audiences buzzing. Judging by how the movie schedules work- spring being a dumping ground for midbudget offal- "Public Enemies" has a chance to be the first great studio film of 2009.