Public Enemies

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Public Enemies

R

2009

2h 20m

Crime

Drama

Action

Mystery & Thriller

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

68%

Tomatometer

277 Reviews

59%

Popcornmeter

250,000+ Ratings

Depression-era bank robber John Dillinger's charm and audacity endear him to much of America's downtrodden public, but he's also a thorn in the side of J. Edgar Hoover and the fledgling FBI. Desperate to capture the elusive outlaw, Hoover makes Dillinger his first Public Enemy Number One and assigns his top agent, Melvin Purvis, the task of bringing him in dead or alive.

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Critics Consensus

Michael Mann's latest is a competent and technically impressive gangster flick with charismatic lead performances, but some may find the film lacks truly compelling drama.

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Deborah Ross

The Spectator

08/29/2018

There is much to admire in this film... But it's as if the whole thing has been emotionally cauterised. It holds you at arm's length. As such, I found it peculiarly unsatisfying. If it had been a restaurant meal, I'd have come home and had a sandwich.

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Candice Frederick

Reel Talk Online

09/12/2017

B+

... it was entertaining, but quite long.

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Andrew Sarris

Film Comment Magazine

09/24/2014

The desperate times in which we suddenly find ourselves ... make Public Enemies seem especially timely.

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Matt Brunson

Film Frenzy

Dec 6

2.5/4

This period gangster saga is filled with exciting gun battles yet can’t deliver the firepower in ways that matter most: empathy, originality, and a willingness to burrow beneath the legend.

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Sean Axmaker

Stream on Demand

09/22/2023

... a thinking man’s gangster film, less about thrills than the mechanics of Dillinger’s heists and Purvis’ investigation, which [director Michael Mann] executes with his usual precision.

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Brian Eggert

Deep Focus Review

09/04/2023

3/4

What remains impressive is that there’s no need to fictionalize actual events much beyond what Burrough chronicled in his history—they’re all thrilling enough on their own to keep us engaged.

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Leprechaun K

@LeprechaunKing 1d

This is basically Heat in the 30's. It is based on the true story of John Dillinger. The film is visually stunning and gun fight scenes are exceptional. Yet, it lacks emotional connection and Depp's performance is flat and unengaging. Opportunity wasted.

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Aidan S.

@NoSplat Jun 24

It’s not perfect. Mann could have done just a bit better. But ‘Public Enemies’ is absolutely a very good movie. The acting, tone, pace, and subject matter all make it quite watchable, and perhaps moving. As someone who has a fair understanding of the world and those characters of that time, I was entertained, intrigued, and informed. For someone that isn’t familiar, I’m excited for their experience, and even hopeful it spawns curiosity to learn more about those days and its people. I rewatch ‘Public Enemies’ every couple years because it’s good enough to hit just right.

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Oscar T

@ScarfaceRampage Jun 9

The third best bank robbery movie

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randall F

@RT35881948 Apr 27

Had potential but just kept getting worse. The lttile Bohemia scene was awful, too dark, had no clue what was happening, actually walked out at that point. Was not impressed with the leading lady, not sassy enough for that part. Pass

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rex W

@RT11010153 Mar 21

"Public Enemies" is one of my favorite films of the 2000s. I'm surprised to see that the reviews are still rather tepid. I enjoyed the story, and I thought there was enough action, suspense, and intrigue to keep the audience interested.

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Kauã M

@KauaMiguel Nov 1

An admirable cast with admirable production but weak direction; the director fails to captivate or hold the viewer's attention, it seems like a jumble of random scenes that lead nowhere, horrible sound mixing, everything in the film seems aimless or out of proportion, things just happen and that's it, but the biggest sin of this film is that it's boring.

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Michael Mann

Director

Johnny Depp

John Dillinger

Christian Bale

Melvin Purvis

Marion Cotillard

Billie Frechette

Billy Crudup

J. Edgar Hoover

Stephen Dorff

Homer Van Meter

Public Enemies: Official Clip - Assault on the Lodge

2:59

Public Enemies: Official Clip - Defying the Law

2:17

Public Enemies: Official Clip - You Act Like a Confident Man

2:50

Public Enemies: Official Clip - Escaping the Jail

2:44

Public Enemies: Official Clip - I Ain't Goin' Nowhere

2:12

Public Enemies: Official Clip - Gross Incompetence

2:43

Public Enemies: Official Clip - What Else Do You Need to Know?

1:27

Public Enemies: Official Clip - I Rob Banks

1:38

Public Enemies: Official Clip - The Bank's Money

2:58

Public Enemies: Official Clip - Gunned Down

2:47

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Synopsis

Depression-era bank robber John Dillinger's charm and audacity endear him to much of America's downtrodden public, but he's also a thorn in the side of J. Edgar Hoover and the fledgling FBI. Desperate to capture the elusive outlaw, Hoover makes Dillinger his first Public Enemy Number One and assigns his top agent, Melvin Purvis, the task of bringing him in dead or alive.

Director: Michael Mann
Producer: Kevin Misher
Screenwriter: Ronan Bennett, Ann Biderman
Distributor: Universal Pictures
Production Co: Forward Pass, Misher Films
Rating: R (Some Language|Gangster Violence)
Genre: Crime, Drama, Action, Mystery & Thriller
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Jul 1, 2009, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Dec 10, 2015
Box Office (Gross USA): $97.0M
Runtime: 2h 20m