Public Enemies (DVD, 2009)

I have seen a lot of gangster movies and in my opinion this one is better than any of them. This is definatly a instant classic. It is very action packed and relatively clean as far as language goes. There is a lot of blood in this movie, though (high powered rifles blowing peoples stomachs up and stuff like that). I would definatly recommend that you watch this movie if your a fan of gangster movies. If you have kids, you might want to watch it before they do just to make sure that you want to let them watch it. It does have a lot of things that kids shouldn't watch so it might not be a good idea to let them watch it.

A little summary...

In the action-drama Public Enemies, acclaimed filmmaker Michael Mann directs Johnny Depp, Christian Bale and Academy Award winner Marion Cotillard in the story of legendary Depression-era outlaw John Dillinger (Depp) - the charismatic bank robber whose lightning raids made him the number one target of J. Edgar Hoover's fledgling FBI and its top agent, Melvin Purvis (Bale, and a folk hero to a nation besieged by financial hardship and ready to celebrate a mythic figure. No one could stop Dillinger and his gang. No jail could hold him. His charm and audacious jailbreaks endeared him to almost everyone - from his girlfriend Billie Frechette (Cotillard) to an American public who had no sympathy for the banks that had plunged the country into the Depression.

1933, John Dillinger (Johnny Depp) is brought to the Indiana State Prison by his partner John "Red" Hamilton (Jason Clarke), under the guise of a prisoner drop. Dillinger and Hamilton overpower several guards and free members of their gang including Charles Makley (Christian Stolte), Homer Van Meter (Stephen Dorff), Walter Dietrich (James Russo), Ed Shouse, Jr. (Michael Vieau), and Harry Pierpont (David Wenham). The jailbreak goes off without a hitch, until Ed Shouse, Jr. beats a guard to death. A shootout ensues as the gang makes its getaway. Dietrich is killed, and a furious Dillinger kicks Shouse out of the car. The rest of the gang retreats to a farm house hideout, where crooked East Chicago, Indiana cop Martin Zarkovich (John Michael Bolger) convinces them to hide out in Chicago, where they can be sheltered by the local Mafia.

Later in East Liverpool, Ohio, Melvin Purvis (Christian Bale) and several other Federal Bureau of Investigation agents and East Liverpool Cops are running down Pretty Boy Floyd. Purvis kills Floyd and is promoted by J. Edgar Hoover (Billy Crudup), who is struggling to expand his Bureau into a national police agency, to lead the hunt for John Dillinger, declaring the first national "War on Crime."

In between a series of bank robberies, including a violent one at The First National Bank in East Chicago, Indiana, where Dillinger kills an East Chicago cop, Dillinger meets Billie Frechette (Marion Cotillard) at a restaurant and proceeds to woo her by buying her a fur coat. Frechette falls for Dillinger even after he tells her who he is, and the two quickly become inseparable.

Melvin Purvis leads a failed ambush at a hotel where he believes Dillinger is staying. An agent is shot and killed by the occupant. After the man escapes, Purvis realizes the killer wasn't Dillinger but was Baby Face Nelson and Tommy Carroll. After this incident, Purvis requests that Hoover bring in professional lawmen who know how to catch criminals dead or alive, including Texas "cowboy" Charles Winstead (Stephen Lang).

Police finally find Dillinger and arrest him and his gang in Tucson, Arizona after a fire breaks out at the Hotel Congress. Purvis arrives that evening and briefly talks with Dillinger; Dillinger tries to size Purvis up and manages to unnerve him with his talk about the agent Nelson had killed. Dillinger is extradited back to the Lake County Jail in Crown Point, Indiana, where he is locked up by Sheriff Lillian Holley (Lili Taylor) pending trial. Dillinger and a few inmates, chief among them is Herbert Youngblood (played by Michael Bentt), carve a fake wooden gun and use it to escape the jail in Sheriff Holley's Police Cruiser. Dillinger is unable to see Frechette, who is under tight surveillance. Dillinger learns that Frank Nitti's (Bill Camp) Chicago Outfit associates are now unwilling to help him; Dillinger's crimes are motivating the U.S. government to begin prosecuting interstate crime, which imperils Nitti's lucrative bookmaking racket.

Later, Dillinger meets fellow bank robber Tommy Carroll (Spencer Garrett) in a movie theater; with him is Ed Shouse Jr., who wants to rejoin the gang. Carroll goads Dillinger into a bank robbery job in Sioux Falls, promising a huge score. Even though Baby Face Nelson is involved, whom he doesn't like, Dillinger agrees. A shootout (triggered by Nelson shooting a cop outside the bank) occurs in which Dillinger is shot in the arm, and Carroll is shot and left for dead. They

Johnny Depp is John Dillinger, the most notorious gangster in Chicago history. Dillinger robbed banks throughout Illinois during the 1930s and had the favor of the people in the communities where he lived. When Dillinger would rob a bank he would take care of the 'little folks' by giving them their money back that they had to pay to the banks. This made him very popular and anyone who knew him would gladly hide him from the authorities.

Christian Bale plays FBI Agent Melvin Purvis who had just captured "Pretty Boy" Floyd (Channing Tatum). He is placed in charge of the Chicago office of the FBI and instructed to use whatever means necessary to capture Dillinger.

The movie flows with the lives of these two men and those they come in contact with. There is plenty of action and the story is pretty much right on track with what really happened.

Also starring in the movie are: Bill Camp, Billy Crudup, Christian Bale, David Wenham, Don Frye, Emilie de Ravin, Giovanni Ribisi, Jason Clarke, John Michael Bolger, John Ortiz, Marion Cotillard, Matt Craven, Peter Gerety, Rory Cochrane, Shawn Hatosy, Spencer Garrett, Stephen Dorff, Stephen Graham, and Stephen Lang.

With a cast like that you would expect a great film and this one does not disappoint.

Get this one and watch it over and over, it is well worth it.

In the shadow of the Great Depression, criminal minds are thriving -- notorious men like John Dillinger, "Baby Face" Nelson and "Pretty Boy" Floyd -- and it's up to J. Edgar Hoover and the FBI to bring them down. Michael Mann directs this gritty crime drama based on the book by Bryan Burrough.

Johnny Depp, Christian Bale, Marion Cotillard, Billy Crudup, Stephen Graham, Channing Tatum, Giovanni Ribisi, Leelee Sobieski

PLOT: Bio Drama of the live and death of John Dillinger who robbed banks and moved into the most wanted LIST in the 1930s~

Johnny Depp shines~as JOHN DILLINGER who knew how to rob a bank and charm the press, breaking in and out of prisons is his speciality~ when he breaks out one last time~he finds his former charmed live is NO more when the mob is busy with numbers games and robbing banks is out ~ with NO protections and safe houses he relies on his own gang for hiding and protection mean while a new G Man (FBI) man on his trail 'Purvis' played very well by Christian Bale is told by HOOVER (FBI head) to go get Dillinger and so the hot pursuit is on~ Dillinger finds a new lovely~ Marion Cotillard is the NEW lady love Billie~ and she steals the show for the small amount of time she is on~ RATED R for gore and plenty of violence~ excellent direction by Michael Mann~ but THE FINAL CURTAIN~ for Dillinger comes with Purvis blackmails the Lady in Red who sets him up in a movie theatre 'shoot out'~ WORTH WATCHING ONCE~ first half of the movie is confusing the last 45 makes up for it~ outstanding acting by Marion C as she is abused by the FBI ~ I GIVE IT A 6 OUT OF 10~ OUTSTANDING COSTUMES AND DIRECTION ~

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