14 DAY TRIAL // Johnny Depp’s newest film, the unofficial biopic of Boston crime lord Whitey Bulger, “Black Mass,” has had a very strong opening in North America. It didn’t manage to top the US box office, but it landed on a solid second spot, in addition to getting glowing reviews from the critics.
The film that drew most audiences this past weekend was the sequel to “The Maze Runner,” “The Scorch Trials.” Based on the young adult series of novels, the film opened with $30.3 million (€27 million) in ticket sales domestically, just $2 million (€1.78 million) shy from the grossing of the original on the opening weekend, THR notes.
Meanwhile, “Black Mass” grossed $23.4 million (€20.8 million) domestically. It might not have been the number 1 movie at the box office on its opening week, but the fact that it was received well by critics must surely make up for it.
As of the time of writing, “Black Mass” has a 75% fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes, which adds weight to the awards buzz the film has been getting after it screened at international festivals.
Johnny Depp completely transformed himself to play the notorious mobster, mostly through makeup and prosthetics, but it’s not just that that’s getting critics saying that an Oscar nomination is almost guaranteed. Depp’s performance is astounding, as also is that of the entire supporting cast, which includes Joel Edgerton, Benedict Cumberbatch, Peter Sarsgaard and Dakota Johnson.