Whitey Bulger

There are many controversies surrounding the recently released movie Black Mass due to its violent depiction of real life events that happened not to long ago in Boston Massachusetts. 

Whitey Bulger, a well known notorious criminal and leader of the Winter Hill Gang was arrested in 2011 in Santa Monica, California after being on the run for 17 years. Judges sentenced Whitey to two life terms plus five years of imprisonment for 11 murders and other charges including racketeering, extortion, money laundering, etc.   In the recently released film Black Mass, Bulger is played by actor Johnny Depp.  Being a true story, this film illustrates Bulger’s rise in the criminal ranks, which was largely due to his informant relationship with the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The release of the movie, however, is leaving families, victims, and Bugler himself felling very unhappy.

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            Whitey’s criminal activities took place between the 1970s and the 1990s and with his recent arrest these horrific events still feel current. Many argued that the film was released to soon; as individuals who still mourn the loss of loved ones taken by the Winter Hill Gang witness reenactments of their murders in the film. Not only do the families of the victims find it hard to watch this film, but also the families of the Winter Hill Gang members. For instance, Whiteys brother Billy Bulger has 9 kids and 33 grandchildren alone, all of whom have to relive the heinous acts their family member committed.

 Many people get to enjoy this film, which glorifies gangsters and specifically Whitey himself, but those close to the men currently in jail are left unsettled and embarrassed. Whitey Bulger himself “refused to meet with Depp or director Scott Cooper and reportedly swears he will never watch the film should it be screened in his prison.” Say IGN.com.  Johnny Deep had to put in a great amount of effort to get into character.  His daily hair and make up, the accent and all the other steps he had to take to prepare himself took a significant amount of time. This process only would have been made easier if Bulger agreed to interview with him before hand.

Whitey Bugler’s statement may come as a shock to most, considering his part in the film is being played by an award winning A-list actor.  In the above image you can see going from the left photo to the right, young Whitey Bulger, Johnny Depp as Whitey Bulger and then Whitey Bulger as he is today.

Winter Hill gang member and right hand man to Whitey Bulger, Kevin Weeks criticizes the film saying,  “The only resemblance to Whitey’s character was the hairline.” Weeks presented the daily beast with many other discrepancies towards the real life events, the inaccurate portrayal of the death of Bulger’s son being just one instance.  Bulger’s sons death occurred in 1973, when in the movie it occurred on a much later date, thus placing the death around the time of some of his major crimes, creating a theatrical sense for his motive.  Week’s also mentions the character of Stevie, another member of the Winter Hill Gang, who in the movie was depicted as sympathetic, but those who truly knew him would describe him as a psychopath.  Last but not least Weeks made multiple comments in his interview about the way in which Bulger’s demeanor was represented.  He says, “he never swore at us. In all the years I was with that man, he never swore at me once. We never yelled at each other.” And in the movie this was not the case, there were several instances where Johnny Depp was cursing.

Although this movie was tough to bare for all of those adversely affected, it also hits close to home for all of the Boston natives that may be hitting up the movie theater this month.  The character in the film make mention of certain areas well know to Bostonians, including “Southie”, “The North End” and local bar “The Bell and Hand”.  This historical event has never felt so real to those whose back yards it was taking place in. Those who watch this story around the world will never understand its magnitude but more so will see it as a thrilling glorification of gangster activity.

Citations

Bio.com. A&E Networks Television. Web. 25 Sept. 2015.

"Black Mass: Whitey Bulger's Former Henchman, Lawyer Slam Movie as 'Fiction' - IGN." IGN. Web. 25 Sept. 2015.

"How the FBI Caught "Whitey" Bulger." YouTube. YouTube. Web. 25 Sept. 2015.

Stern, Marlow. The Daily Beast. Newsweek/Daily Beast. Web. 25 Sept. 2015.