Public Enemies is a long, slow look through a murky glass at an American real life legend. That looking glass is indeed beautiful, but it causes the much-anticipated movie to brood rather than sizzle, and that’s not necessarily a bad thing. Public Enemies is still an impressive piece of work—one of the weightier films to be released sofar this year, and a cool, languid diversion on a hot summer night.  

The casting is the stuff any director’s, in this case Michael Mann’s, dreams are made of: Johnny Depp asoutlaw/gangster John Dillinger; Christian Bale as G-man Melvin Purvis, relentlessly dedicated the bringing the bad men down; and Marion Cotillard (who portrayed the epic Edith Piaf in La Vie en rose) as Billie Frachette, the love of Dillinger’s life. Look for brief but powerful appearances by Channing Tatum as Pretty Boy Floyd; Billy Crudup as J. Edgar Hoover; Branka Katic, the potential fourth wife from Big Love, as the woman who ultimately betrayed Dillinger, Giovanni Ribisi as Alvin Karpis, Lili Taylor as a slow-witted sheriff and Diana Krall belting out a torch song.

Watching for these cameos should help keep you awake during this very slow-paced, 140 minute art film. Rather than building up to the crescendo at Dillinger’s last picture show, it meandersslowly through Dillinger’s glory days to their end, which is more of a sighthan a scream. Powered by the charisma and skill of Depp, stellar cinematography of Dante Spinotti (L.A. Confidential, Heat) and the hauntingscore of Oscar winner Elliot Goldenthall (Frida), the film’s gravitas isundeniable. Beauty and skill are alive and well in this film, sparkle and flashare not. During this summer of blazing blockbusters, the respite of Public Enemies is welcome. Just don’t see it late at night after a big meal.

Rated R

—Lisa Johnson Mandell