Public Enemies - Movie Review

Public Enemies is worth catching if for only the costumes and sets that gives the movie a sense of Godfather-like authenticity; you just plain get the feeling that this is a period piece and not just a modern movie of pretty boys playing dress-up. Plus there's lots of shootin'. Some romancin'. And Johnny Depp. And two hours or so in a dark, cool, cool theatre. What's not to like?

If I give the movie short shrift, it's only because it's not quite perfect, and that's really not a fault. It's about Dillinger's brush with and run from the law and that's enough though if you come expecting to learn more about the man or the era you've come to the wrong place. Catch a documentary on the History Channel for that, I guess. But Michael Mann is one of our best directors who knows how to handle actors and set action scenes with guns a'blazin' so go see some of his best work.