IMDb > Public Enemies (2009)
Public Enemies
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Public Enemies (2009) More at IMDbPro »

Photos (see all 100 | slideshow) Videos (see all 50)
Public Enemies (2009) -- FBI agent Melvin Purvis (Bale) sets his sights on American gangster John Dillinger (Depp) and others in an attempt to curb a rampant Chicago crime spree during the 1930s.
Public Enemies (2009) -- Clip: The assault on the Little Bohemia Lodge
Public Enemies (2009) -- Cast and crew discuss Dillinger's use of the latest technology in cars and guns
Public Enemies (2009) -- 29th June 2009, London, Leicester Square: Red carpet interviews and clips
Public Enemies (2009) -- Johnny Depp and Michael Mann press conference, with clips

Overview

User Rating:
7.3/10   48,605 votes
MOVIEmeter: ?
Up 278% in popularity this week. See why on IMDbPro.
Director:
Writers (WGA):
Ronan Bennett (screenplay) and
Michael Mann (screenplay) ...
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Contact:
View company contact information for Public Enemies on IMDbPro.
Release Date:
1 July 2009 (USA) more
Tagline:
America's Most Wanted
Plot:
The Feds try to take down notorious American gangsters John Dillinger, Baby Face Nelson and Pretty Boy Floyd during a booming crime wave in the 1930s. full summary | full synopsis
Awards:
6 nominations more
NewsDesk:
(1268 articles)
DVD Playhouse--December 2009
 (From The Hollywood Interview. 16 December 2009, 1:55 AM, PST)

'New Moon' Cast Tops Lists
 (From TwilightersAnonymous. 15 December 2009, 7:54 PM, PST)

User Comments:
Not one of Mann's best, but still... more (429 total)

Cast

  (Cast overview, first billed only)

Additional Details

MPAA:
Rated R for gangster violence and some language.
Runtime:
140 min
Country:
Language:
Aspect Ratio:
2.35 : 1 more
Sound Mix:
Filming Locations:

Fun Stuff

Trivia:
Former Ethiopian Emperor and Rastafari Messiah Haile Selassie appears in an uncredited role in a newsreel. more
Goofs:
Anachronisms: In the room where the FBI agents suit up in preparation for catching Dillinger at 1148 Addison, a red, modern-looking exit sign is noticeable. more
Quotes:
John Dillinger: You wanna know if we're armed? We're armed. more
Movie Connections:
References Little Miss Marker (1934) more

FAQ

When does Public Enemies take place?
Will this film be historically accurate?
A Note Regarding Spoilers
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22 out of 28 people found the following comment useful.
Not one of Mann's best, but still..., 13 August 2009
7/10
Author: praveen77 from India

Whenever a Michael Mann movie comes out, I am besieged by expectations. This is one director whose style I seem to consistently like. The Insider, Heat, Collateral, The Last of the Mohicans, and yes.. I LOVED Miami Vice the movie (despite the many negative reviews it seemed to have got). So, when Public Enemies came out, and seeing Mann team up with Johnny Depp and Christian Bale, I knew I could not miss this. However, probably because of the high standards he has set for himself, I was a little disappointed with this.

The story is about a gangster bank robber, John Dillinger(Johnny Depp), back in the '30's, who pulled off a couple of daring heists and prison breaks. He was generally considered a hero among the public, as this was during the years of the great depression and Dillinger was seen as someone who steals from the rich man. A fledging FBI, led by the peerless J. Edgar Hoover, decide to hunt him down so that they can grow the organization, and name him Public Enemy Number 1. Melvin Purvis(Christian Bale) is assigned the task of leading this group of agents.

Johnny Depp is as usual great, but you get a feeling he would have been even better if the script had given enough scope to explore the character of Dillinger. The same goes with his love interest, played by Marillon Cotillard. Again, a wonderful actress, but at times the love story seemed forced into the story. Despite this, they have great chemistry.

Which brings me to Christian Bale. This is an actor who has so much more to offer than the half baked roles he has been getting this year. You get a feeling this year that he is being offered big movies which don't give him a character he can bite his teeth into. First there was Terminator Salvation, and now this. In both, his character never really seemed into the movie as compared to the others. I'm waiting to see a movie again where he will assert himself.

Despite the flaws, this is still a good movie from Mann. Just don't go in expecting it to out do his best.

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Discuss this movie with other users on IMDb message board for Public Enemies (2009)
Recent Posts (updated daily)User
Hated It aswearengen
Underdeveloped characters... hannahp1
This was a chick flick movie. Psivage
Why do people exactly like this movie? schellekens-1
I would have liked to have more of the title characters in action... deckerrocchi
DVD release cut short from theatrical version? ColtraneandFlash
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