The high profile case surrounding gangster James “Whitey” Bulger is so astounding, it’s no wonder Hollywood jumped at the chance to make a film about it. It’s now the subject of the biopic Black Mass, a project that recently hired Out of the Furnace helmer Scott Cooper to direct, and stars Johnny Depp as one of the most wanted men in America. But with a story like Bulger’s, whose criminal past contains more organized corruption and murder than even Scorsese could imagine, sometimes it’s better to let the details speak for themselves. Enter the trailer for Whitey: United States of America v. James J. Bulger, a documentary that promises to explain why it took 25 years for the FEDs to finally bring Bulger to justice.
After taking on the controversial West Memphis Three trial with his Paradise Lost trilogy, Joe Berlinger returns to examine the reasons why Bulger, a ruthless killer and racketeer, was able to elude authorities for so long. The film looks at how his role as an FBI informant, as well as his ties to local law enforcement, allowed him to terrorize Boston up until his arrest in 2011. Knowing how well Berlinger tackled true crime in the past, this should make for a very thorough and revelatory experience.
See trailer and synopsis below:
Synopsis:
From Academy Award-nominated director Joe Berlinger, Whitey: United States of America v. James J. Bulger is a sweeping and revelatory documentary film that follows the trial of the infamous gangster James “Whitey” Bulger, using the courtroom action as a springboard to examine accusations of multi-faceted corruption within our nation’s law enforcement and legal systems.
Whitey: United States of America v. James J. Bulger hits theaters and iTunes on June 27th.