He survived a stint in Alcatraz. At one time, he was considered the “Second Most Wanted Man in America,” Osama Bin Laden being the first. And for over a decade, he was living under the radar in a modest apartment complex in Santa Monica, California, right under the noses of the FBI, CIA, and every other unknowing citizen around him. In 2011, the notorious James “Whitey” Bulger, aged 84, was arrested and ultimately charged with two life sentences plus five years for his involvement in eleven murders, among other illegal activities. Acclaimed documentary filmmaker Joe Berlinger uncovers the fascinating rise and fall of one of history’s most elusive and infamous mobsters in the new biographical film, Whitey: United States of America v. James J. Bulger.

For fans of The Sopranos or The Wire, this true story about a crime legend is so tightly packaged and emotionally charged, it’s sure to keep your interest throughout the entire two hour run time. Captivating interviews from victims and their families paint a horrific picture of a soulless man who literally had a license to kill. Whitey ran Boston for thirty years, beginning as a childhood thief and ultimately befriending the “right” people in Boston’s organized crime scene. His unwavering loyalty and commitment to his gang lead him to the top. As acting boss he allegedly forged mutually beneficial relationships with law enforcement, receiving tips of wire taps or busts in exchange for money.

For fans of The Sopranos  or The Wire, this true story about a crime legend is so tightly packaged and emotionally charged, it’s sure to keep your interest the entire 2 hour run time.

 

The film is effective in exposing the government’s manipulation of Whitey’s legal case and the entire Boston judicial system. Corrupt leaders, like  Jeremiah O’Sullivan of the Department of Justice New England Organized Crime Task Force, made deals with the mob by falsifying documents and essentially aiding and abetting a criminal, and this shocking information is only the beginning. It’s not the mob, but the FBI who is considered the most organized crime family.

Whitey’s 15 minutes of fame won’t be up for a while; director Scott Cooper (Out of the Furnace) is currently working on Bulger’s biopic, Black Mass, starring Johnny Depp as the titular character. It was only a matter of time before this unbelievable story got the Hollywood treatment, but if anyone was to play the “Irish Godfather,” Depp is the one to do it.

Whitey is a must-see film; socially relevant and unapologetically interesting, this documentary tells a story so surreal, it seems too crazy to be true.