Based on Bryan Burrough’s nonfiction book of the same name, Michael Mann’s Public Enemies puts Depp in the shoes of John Dillinger, one of the most prolific bank robbers in American history, set during his final few months of thieving in 1934. As he wreaks havoc across the Midwest, Dillenger attempts to stay one step ahead of Melvin Purvis (Christian Bale), a ruthless federal agent tasked with finally bringing him justice. With a proven track record of bringing crime epics to life, from Miami Vice to Heat, Mann captures a transformative moment when the relationship between criminals, the public, and the authorities was rapidly shifting. Dillinger became a symbol of defiance during the Great Depression, when banks were the furthest thing from beloved institutions, while the newly empowered FBI was working to establish itself as a formidable national force. The film’s historical scope is narrower than Burrough’s sprawling account of America’s crime wave, but that focus gives Mann room to explore the mythology surrounding one particularly charismatic outlaw.

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