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Black Mass

  • 20152015
  • RR
  • 2h 3m
IMDb RATING
6.9/10
179K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
249
72
  • Cast & crew
  • User reviews
  • Trivia
  • IMDbPro
Kevin Bacon, Johnny Depp, Joel Edgerton, Dakota Johnson, Jesse Plemons, Peter Sarsgaard, Corey Stoll, and Benedict Cumberbatch in Black Mass (2015)
The true story of Whitey Bulger, the brother of a state senator and the most infamous violent criminal in the history of South Boston, who became an FBI informant to take down a Mafia family invading his turf.
Play trailer2:33
31 Videos
99+ Photos
  • Biography
  • Crime
  • Drama

The true story of Whitey Bulger, the brother of a state senator and the most infamous violent criminal in the history of South Boston, who became an FBI informant to take down a Mafia family... Read allThe true story of Whitey Bulger, the brother of a state senator and the most infamous violent criminal in the history of South Boston, who became an FBI informant to take down a Mafia family invading his turf.The true story of Whitey Bulger, the brother of a state senator and the most infamous violent criminal in the history of South Boston, who became an FBI informant to take down a Mafia family invading his turf.

IMDb RATING
6.9/10
179K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
249
72
  • Director
    • Scott Cooper
  • Writers
    • Mark Mallouk(screenplay)
    • Jez Butterworth(screenplay)
    • Dick Lehr(based on the book by)
  • Stars
    • Johnny Depp
    • Benedict Cumberbatch
    • Dakota Johnson
Top credits
  • Director
    • Scott Cooper
  • Writers
    • Mark Mallouk(screenplay)
    • Jez Butterworth(screenplay)
    • Dick Lehr(based on the book by)
  • Stars
    • Johnny Depp
    • Benedict Cumberbatch
    • Dakota Johnson
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 383User reviews
    • 424Critic reviews
    • 68Metascore
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 6 wins & 24 nominations

    Videos31

    Trailer #2
    Trailer 2:33
    Trailer #2
    Trailer #1
    Trailer 1:50
    Trailer #1
    First Look
    Trailer 2:13
    First Look
    Youre Changing
    Clip 1:32
    Youre Changing
    Whats The Secret Recipe
    Clip 1:22
    Whats The Secret Recipe
    Its An Alliance
    Clip 1:09
    Its An Alliance
    You Got Two Weeks
    Clip 0:47
    You Got Two Weeks
    Take The Bag
    Clip 1:03
    Take The Bag
    Do Your Job
    Clip 0:57
    Do Your Job
    Just Trust Me
    Clip 1:12
    Just Trust Me
    Hows Your Brother
    Clip 1:29
    Hows Your Brother
    Kate Winslet and Dakota Johnson Rock the Red Carpet in Toronto
    Featurette 1:39
    Kate Winslet and Dakota Johnson Rock the Red Carpet in Toronto

    Photos132

    Johnny Depp and Rory Cochrane in Black Mass (2015)
    Dakota Johnson in Black Mass (2015)
    Julianne Nicholson in Black Mass (2015)
    Johnny Depp in Black Mass (2015)
    Johnny Depp and Joel Edgerton in Black Mass (2015)
    Joel Edgerton in Black Mass (2015)
    Johnny Depp, Rory Cochrane, Joel Edgerton, and David Harbour in Black Mass (2015)
    Johnny Depp and Benedict Cumberbatch in Black Mass (2015)
    Joel Edgerton and Benedict Cumberbatch in Black Mass (2015)
    Rory Cochrane in Black Mass (2015)
    Benedict Cumberbatch in Black Mass (2015)
    Adam Scott, Joel Edgerton, and David Harbour in Black Mass (2015)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Johnny Depp
    Johnny Depp
    • James 'Whitey' Bulgeras James 'Whitey' Bulger
    Benedict Cumberbatch
    Benedict Cumberbatch
    • Billy Bulgeras Billy Bulger
    Dakota Johnson
    Dakota Johnson
    • Lindsey Cyras Lindsey Cyr
    Joel Edgerton
    Joel Edgerton
    • John Connollyas John Connolly
    Kevin Bacon
    Kevin Bacon
    • FBI Agent Charles McGuireas FBI Agent Charles McGuire
    Peter Sarsgaard
    Peter Sarsgaard
    • Brian Halloranas Brian Halloran
    Jesse Plemons
    Jesse Plemons
    • Kevin Weeksas Kevin Weeks
    Rory Cochrane
    Rory Cochrane
    • Stephen Flemmias Stephen Flemmi
    David Harbour
    David Harbour
    • John Morrisas John Morris
    Adam Scott
    Adam Scott
    • FBI Agent Robert Fitzpatrickas FBI Agent Robert Fitzpatrick
    Corey Stoll
    Corey Stoll
    • Fred Wyshakas Fred Wyshak
    Julianne Nicholson
    Julianne Nicholson
    • Marianne Connollyas Marianne Connolly
    W. Earl Brown
    W. Earl Brown
    • John Martoranoas John Martorano
    • (as W Earl Brown)
    Bill Camp
    Bill Camp
    • John Callahanas John Callahan
    Juno Temple
    Juno Temple
    • Deborah Husseyas Deborah Hussey
    Mark Mahoney
    Mark Mahoney
    • Mickey Maloneyas Mickey Maloney
    Brad Carter
    Brad Carter
    • John McIntyreas John McIntyre
    Scott Anderson
    Scott Anderson
    • Tommy Kingas Tommy King
    • Director
      • Scott Cooper
    • Writers
      • Mark Mallouk(screenplay)
      • Jez Butterworth(screenplay)
      • Dick Lehr(based on the book by)
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
    • All cast & crew

    Johnny Depp Through the Years

    Johnny Depp Through the Years

    Take a look back at Johnny Depp's movie and TV career in photos.
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    Storyline

    Edit
    Based on the true story of James "Whitey" Bulger, an Irish Mob godfather and a FBI informant who had a "secret trading" deal with his brother William "Billy" Bulger, a state senator and Boston public figure, and John Connolly, an FBI agent. They planned to take down the Italian Mafia in Boston, which went awry and things turned massively violent. When the credence in each other began fading out, drug dealing, murders, and extortion rose, forcing the FBI's Boston office to confirm that Whitey Bulger was one of the most notorious criminals in US history and also one of the FBI's Ten Most Wanted List criminals. —Gusde
    • true crime
    • fbi agent
    • gangster
    • boston massachusetts
    • based on true story
    • 244 more
    • Plot summary
    • Plot synopsis
    • Taglines
      • Based on the true story of one of the most notorious gangsters in U.S. history
    • Genres
      • Biography
      • Crime
      • Drama
    • Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)
      • Rated R for brutal violence, language throughout, some sexual references and brief drug use
    • Parents guide

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Many of the murder scenes were shot in the locations where the real-life murders took place.
    • Goofs
      In the film, Buddy Leonard diffuses a fight between Whitey Bulger and Tommy King at Triple O's. Tommy is subsequently murdered, and Buddy is found dead in the front seat of a car a few scenes later. In real life, Buddy was murdered before the altercation at Triple O's. His death was the real reason Tommy attacked Bulger.
    • Quotes

      Whitey Bulger: [from trailer]

      [at dinner]

      Whitey Bulger: What did you marinate this steak in? Because it's out of this world! You're killing me with it!

      John Morris: Now, now, it's a family secret.

      Whitey Bulger: Oh, come on! You got to tell me that! What's the secret? Come on, you can do it, come on, that is one of the best goddamn steaks I have ever had in my entire life. What's the family secret recipe?

      John Morris: It's ground garlic, with a bit of soy.

      Whitey Bulger: That's it?

      John Morris: Yeah, that's it.

      Whitey Bulger: [pause] I thought it was a family secret.

      John Morris: It's a recipe.

      Whitey Bulger: No, no. You said to me this is a family secret, and you gave it up to me, boom just like that. You spill the secret family recipe today, maybe you spill a little something about me tomorrow, hm?

      John Morris: I was just saying that...

      Whitey Bulger: You were just saying? "Just saying" gets people sent away. "Just saying" got me a nine-year stretch in Alcatraz, you understand? So, "just saying" can get you buried real quick.

      [suddenly laughs]

      Whitey Bulger: Look at his face!

    • Crazy credits
      As the actors are listed, pictures and footage of the real people they portrayed are shown.
    • Connections
      Featured in The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon: Hillary Clinton/Dakota Johnson/Fetty Wap (2015)
    • Soundtracks
      It's Not My Cross to Bear
      Written by Gregg Allman

      Performed by The Allman Brothers Band

      Courtesy of Island Records

      Under license from Universal Music Enterprises

    User reviews383

    Review
    Top review
    "Black Mass" is all but Great
    I try not to get my hopes up too much for certain movies, and "Black Mass" (which I got very excited about) just reminds me why.

    Oh, Scott Cooper... how did you manage to make one of the most twisted, unusual, and mysterious gangster stories into an emotionless web of a film? From acting to editing, there was so much wrong that it's almost surprising.

    My main issue was the nonexistence of a certain necessity: stakes. In all great mafia flicks, stakes are essential. Would "Goodfellas" have been as remarkable if it didn't feel like any wrong move would set off a universe-ending set of events? Would the "Godfather" have been considered the greatest film of all time if a war wasn't seconds away from breaking out? "Black Mass" managed to keep a story that easily could've had those steaks from having any at all. This was, of course, caused by the emotionless acting, but more on that in a second. But this film really made me not care if the protagonist (whether you consider that to be Bulger or Connolly) lives or dies; and in a mob movie, that is a worse crime than anything committed on screen.

    So the acting I blame entirely on Cooper. Every single actor did a great job with what they were given, but the problem is that they were given the wrong thing. For example, Depp was probably told to play a silent yet psychotic, friendly yet intimidating crime lord. Did he do that well? Absolutely. Is that who the character was written as? Not at all. Same goes for Joel Edgerton's - who I thought did the best job out of all of the actors - character, Jesse Plemons' character, and even smaller characters like Adam Scott's. All those actors did well, but not in the right parts.

    The list goes on with issues, so let's talk about why the movie got 2 stars rather than zero (therefore, let's talk about the positives). I've heard some critics discuss the overuse of violence in the film. Though there is quite a bit of violence, I thought it was used very tastefully. No blood was used where it didn't seem necessary, and personally, I think that the violence becomes numbing, which takes us even further into the mob guys' mentality on murder. Also, I thought the shooting locations were very well chosen, as they really captured the narrow-mindedness of the lead characters' lives.

    So should you see this movie? -If you love mafia movies of any shape or size, then go see it. -If you love Johnny Depp, wait until it comes out on demand. -If you don't love mafia movies, haven't seen many mafia movies, or just have none of the listed qualities above, then don't see this film.
    helpful•74
    66
    • jacobcornblatt
    • Sep 20, 2015

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    [object Object]
    Photos

    FAQ1

    • How was Whitey Bulger able to get away with his deception for so long?

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • September 18, 2015 (United States)
    • Countries of origin
      • United States
      • United Kingdom
    • Official sites
      • Official Facebook
      • Official site
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Bố Già Huyền Thoại
    • Filming locations
      • Lynn, Massachusetts, USA
    • Production companies
      • Cross Creek Pictures
      • RatPac-Dune Entertainment
      • Grisbi Productions, Le
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Budget
      • $53,000,000 (estimated)
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $62,575,678
    • Opening weekend US & Canada
      • $22,635,037
      • Sep 20, 2015
    • Gross worldwide
      • $99,775,678
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      2 hours 3 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Datasat
      • Dolby Digital
    • Aspect ratio
      • 2.35 : 1

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