The #1 Most-Watched Thriller on Netflix is Based On Brutal Real-Life Events
A controversial crime thriller is making noise on the Netflix charts today. Scott Cooper’s Black Mass is currently the most-watched thriller on the platform and sits in 4th place overall. The film serves as an account of notorious gangster James “Whitey” Bulger’s rise to prominence as the leader of the Winter Hill Gang in Somerville, Massachusetts.
The crime boss eventually turned informant for the FBI. But he wasn’t proud of that and wasn’t entirely thrilled that Black Mass chronicled that aspect of his life. Bulger was eventually killed by fellow inmates in a Federal prison circa 2018.
Black Mass isn’t the only thriller to chronicle Bulger’s legacy onscreen. Jack Nicholson’s character in Martin Scorsese’s The Departed is also loosely inspired by the notorious gangster. Where The Departed only takes a level of influence from Bulger’s legacy, Black Mass functions as a proper biopic.
Hunting Whitey authors Casey Sherman and Dave Wedge discovered a series of letters revealing that the gangster hated the way he was portrayed in Black Mass. He preferred to be seen as a “gentleman gangster” and didn’t like the way the film depicted him as a snitch. Even though he ultimately turned informant.
The authors also revealed to THR that Bulger took in a screening of Scorsese’s The Departed while he was on the run in 2006. A Sheriff’s deputy spotted him at the showing and observed Bulger recoiling at Nicholson’s fictionalized portrayal. Bulger managed to escape the premises before the deputy could confront or apprehend him.
According to The Guardian, Bulger’s attorney, Hank Brennan, said Bulger was unimpressed by Depp’s portrayal in Black Mass, even though he never actually saw the film. He additionally took issue with the picture’s failure to show the FBI as complicit in his crimes.
If you’re curious to see what all the controversy is about. Head over to Netflix where you can stream the top-charting crime thriller now.
The film’s star-studded cast includes Johnny Depp, Benedict Cumberbatch, Dakota Johnson, Joel Edgerton, and Kevin Bacon.
The setup for the Whitey Bulger biopic goes like this: While his brother Bill (Cumberbatch) remains a powerful leader in the Massachusetts Senate, Irish hoodlum James “Whitey” Bulger (Depp) continues to pursue a life of crime in 1970s Boston. Approached by FBI agent John Connolly (Edgerton), the lawman convinces Whitey to help the agency fight the Italian mob. As their unholy alliance spirals out of control, Bulger increases his power and evades capture to become one of the most dangerous gangsters in U.S. history.
That’s all we’ve got at present. Stay tuned for more updates on which films are making waves on your favorite streaming platforms.
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