"Public Enemies" - The New Gangster Flick

Genre: Gangster Flick - Cast of Characters include John Dillinger and his moll, Pretty Boy Floyd, et al, and of course J. Edgar Hoover and Melvin Purvis in hot pursuit.  This story has been told on film before, in a variety of styles, and the movie doesn't really try to probe beneath the surface of anything.  It is an action film with lots of automatic machine gun fire, old cars, period sets and costumes, and a curiously restrained and likeable performance by Johnny Depp as Dillinger.  Christian Bale as Purvis comes across as wooden by comparison, but I really liked Billy Crudup's J. Edgar Hoover (who'd a thunk it...?) 

I would say nothing special here.  Very entertaining, fast paced, lots of modern tropes, like the shaky handheld camera scenes, sudden close-ups, dialogue whittier than any of these characters would have been capable of in real life (and anachronistic at times).  I'm wondering how realistic is the scene in which.... oops, I'd better say nothing, since I didn't want to put any plot spoilers in here.... just to say I wonder how fictionalized this account is? 

At any rate, I enjoyed it, it's always a pleasure to watch Depp, whether he's in over-the-top cartoon mode as Cap'n Jack or as a curiously likeable gangster with his own code of conduct as Dillinger - the guy remains cute and hot in just about anything.  The rest of the cast will pass, certainly.  A touch of excitement.  I think it could have been about 20 minutes shorter.