The Infiltrator - Box Office Review

Drugs, sex, violence and beaches are all pretty common key words when you're discussing the cocaine fueled era of Florida in the 1980's. The volume of cocaine being shipped into America during this decade was unprecedented and it started an entire "war on drugs" led by our (at the time) president Ronald Reagan. So, were Bryan Cranston and John Leguizamo able to make us believe their U.S. custom's agency status? Let's dive in and take a look at "The Infiltrator" in this box office review...

Considering this film was based on real events I was pleasantly surprised by what I saw on screen. It's more procedural than action packed but that's not to suggest this film lacks action scenes. The entire movie is one man's journey to stop a drug kingpin from continuing to build his empire on the Florida coast and in America. That one man is Bryan Cranston. Most people are familiar with his role as a drug king pin in the tv show "Breaking Bad" so to see him on the other side of the coin wasn't much of a stretch. He's a talented actor and that talent is present on screen. He brings a wide range of emotions to this film and it's his performance that rises above the fray. 

The remaining cast was adequate with their performances. It felt like most of them were doing their best to portray terrible people or US Customs agents pretending to be terrible. Leguizamo had one really good scene where he's confronted with a man being shot in the head at point blank range. His face gave me all the believable emotion I could want in that scene.  Also, it's unfortunate Olympia Dukakis didn't have more screen time because her character was enjoyable. She plays Cranston's aunt and her very brief screen time was fantastic. She's an incredible talent though so it wasn't a surprise. Also, who is Benjamin Bratt's agent that he keeps getting cast as a drug dealer or a character within that world? It's almost like studios discover they need a drug lord and call Bratt's agent. He played the same role in "Ride Along 2" which also came out this year! 

Overall, the story is pretty compelling despite how weird the film ends. One could almost believe that Hollywood chose the ending to be dramatic but it was more confusing. I have a difficult time believing people would react in that way to that situation considering how they reacted to previous, and similar, situations. It was an odd choice but if it is revealed that in reality that is what took place I will be just as ok with the film. 

"The Infiltrator" is theaters now! If you enjoy movies based on real events this is a good film to see on the big screen. If true life crime stories aren't your preferred films, you can catch this on Redbox of VOD. It's definitely worth watching but it doesn't necessarily have to be in the theater. There's one weird voodoo scene that didn't make much sense but other than that it's entertaining and it keeps your attention. 

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Box Office Review: Black Mass

Murder, drugs, Jai Alai, the Irish, the Italians, Senators, the FBI, DEA, IRA, police, prostitutes, 1970's Boston, Miami and an incredible ensemble of talented actors all participating in the telling of real life crime lord James "Whitey" Bulger. If you're looking for a film that has everything from corruption to redemption this might be it.

It starts with Kevin Weeks (Jessie Plemons) stating, on the record, that he isn't an informant or rat and he is strictly doing business. This is important because it references to something later revealed in the film. From there the audience is thrown into the movie with story telling split between the "present day" and previous events. A story telling device that works to keep the plot moving and it allows the story to jump forward in time without missing a beat. The audience is introduced to topics and events and then we jump back to see them brilliantly acted out.

Johnny Depp's portrayal of "Whitey" Bulger, nefarious and ruthless crime lord, was chilling. The steady ease in which he delivers his lines only to then murder people leaves you believing everything on screen. His methods of murder change so keep your eyes open. Cold and determined, loyal to his family and childhood friends until the end, this character is developed and intriguing to watch.

In fact, every character was so believable that the audience should enjoy the film without being pulled out by poor acting or distractions. The only thing that seemed a bit off was the wispy soft voice and accent of Senator Billy Bulger (Benedict Cumberbatch), Whitey's brother. The accent was believable however it was gentle in comparison to the other male counterparts in the film. A rough and tumble group of male actors who were either criminals or law enforcement, the audience was treated to men of determined spirits, be they just or unjust. This allowed for Billy Bulger to stand out as his speech was more subdued.

FBI agent John Connolly (Joel Edgerton) was probably the performance of the film. The changes he shows from being a confident and smooth talking agent to the despair and panic as he sees the case unravelling was award worthy. Connolly had the largest arc in terms of character development. You could see the change not just in his mannerisms but in his expressions and ability to silver tongue his colleagues. If you had any trouble picking up on it there's a brief mention during a conversation with his wife to firmly establish his is the performance to watch.

Scott Cooper directed this film and he has an impressive list of films under his belt. His talents as a director are obvious as this film leaves little to question. The art, the clothes, the design of the houses, the cars, the attitudes are all reminiscent of a time now gone. He had a power house cast to work with and he delivered on getting the best performance from each actor.

This film is rated R for good reason. There's violence a plenty that leaves little to the imagination. The language is also stereotypical of what you'd expect Boston street thugs to sound like. If you enjoy gangster films you will not be disappointed.

"Black Mass" isn't a special effects driven movie but the actors are all so wonderful it warrants a theater screening. This might be the film that ushers in "Oscar Season" or it might be the warm up, it's that good. The tension that builds between Whitey and the FBI all the way into the finale is intense and once the film resolves you sit back, exhale and smile because you know what you just watched was a quality film.

I give it two thumbs up and encourage everyone to play "8 Degrees of Separation with Kevin Bacon" because he's also in this film.

If you've already seen it, please comment below and share your thoughts!

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