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All teen and kid reviews for Public Enemies

Age
13
Average rating based on 27 kid and teen reviews:
  • 63% say violence is an issue
Teen, 16 years old
July 1, 2009
 
Depp has Done it Again
Johnny Depp can do no wrong. Plain and simple. Yes, I liked "Secret Window," now let's drop it. In his latest film, directed by Michael Mann (of "Heat" fame), Depp plays John Dillinger, a renowned crook and J. Edgar Hoover's worst nightmare. He is seduced by Billie Frechette (a gorgeous Marion Cotillard) one night at a bar and is quick to spark a relationship with her. As the film progresses we learn that Dillinger is Piblic Enemy #1, and the Chicago Police have an entire sector after him. After successfully murdering mass-murderer "Prettyboy" Floyd, Melvin Purvis (Christian Bale, with a slightly annoying accent) is assigned to lead the group. He follows Dillinger's every move and will stop at nothing to get him behind bars. When he finally does, John is quick to escape. This leads to a climactic scene that is so gritty and real it dares you not to look away. The rest of the film is no different. Shot with a natural, fly-on-the-wall look, the film is intimate and incredibly raw. And annoying as his accent may be, Bale really delivers. Consider it his redemption for "Terminator Salvation." He says more with his face than anyone else does with words. Empty glances convey his loneliness and recoiling about his job, causing an interesting theme for the film. Through the police's search for a criminal, have they descended into the same behavior? Who's right and who's wrong? This question is heightened by a dynamite performance from Depp (but really, what's new?) He turns Dillinger into a confident, charismatic character and causes the audience to end up rooting for him over the Chicago police. Only Johnny Depp can do that. But good as the film may be, it isn't "Heat." The film provides no backstory for John Dillinger, so we never really know why he's robbing banks. He's in jail as the opening credits roll, but why? Nevertheless, the film is incredibly entertaining and leaps and bounds better than most of the other blockbusters being released this summer. If you're trying to decide between this and "Transformers," by ALL means, see this. It's just as long but feels like nothing compared to the grueling length of that thing. But if you're a tween or teen deciding between this and "Transformers," you might have to pick the awful one. The film is unsettling and very violent, but I was fine. It all depends on your tolerance level.

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Teen, 17 years old
August 19, 2009
 
Public Enemies
Johnny Depp play depression-era bank robber John Dillinger in Michael Mann's well achieved movie that tackles on heavy themes for younger kids and will be enjoyed by older teens and adults. The movie is very intense throughout with prolonged shootouts. Other than that the movie has a solid script and acting.

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Teen, 14 years old
July 1, 2009
 
one of the summer's best and most anticapated
the long patient wait for the film is over and the film lives up to it's expectations. jhonny deep deserves an oscar nom for his performance christian bale rules for hs role as the cop hunting dilinger.

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Teen, 15 years old
January 6, 2010
 
Public Enemies
Over all Great Movie! Excellent performance by Johnny Depp! Complex interesting characters and an Original Plot. The gunfight scenes were pretty brutal at times, somewhat graphic (blood spurting from wounds, etc...). Not a ton of language, especially considering its a Gangster film. Implied brief sexual scenes, pretty much no nudity. I would recommend this for ages 15+

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Kid, 13 years old
July 27, 2009
 
Not what CommonSense Reviewers say it is!
This movie is great. Overall 4 stars. My concerns are the violence. There is a scene where a man shoots another with a rifle, blood all over his shirt. Probably the bloodiest scene in the movie. There are shootouts and stuff like that but not too bad. There is a s*x scene. Nothing bad is shown. Also the language D*mn, S**t, Godd*mmit, stuff like that, but nothing above the S Word. Also there's a scene where a lady gets slapped like 5 times!! It's mean, but my 13 year old bro was chuckling just like a bunch of other peeps in the theater. I think this movie is ON 13 +. 13+ because not all 10 year olds would be able to watch an R rated movie like this.

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Teen, 14 years old
January 15, 2011
 
al capone move over here comes john dillinger
old movie feel new movie style great its another scarface hands down and dont argue that point until you've seen it! action packed old school style.

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Teen, 16 years old
August 5, 2010
 
Great movie that accurately depicts Dillinger's final days
Public Enemies is a well-done film that acts not only as a biopic of John Dillinger's life, but as a gritty, shoot 'em up action movie. It has a large amount of violence in it, which is expected from this kind of movie, and it doesn't go over-the-top as some other gangster films do. Depp makes for a fascinating and charismatic Dillinger, though Bale's Melvin Purvis seems to be made of stone and his rough-as-sandpaper voice never allows the audience to see him as a human, flawed person that this film needed for an antagonist.

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Teen, 16 years old
September 27, 2009
 
13+ is a safe bet
The violence isn't that bloody or graphic... a little loud.... Johnny Depp is perfect and the directing is awesome. 13 and up is a safe bet.

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Teen, 15 years old
December 24, 2010
 
does not deserve R rating
SPOILER ALERT! This is a very good movie with some iffyness. The violence was not that bad save for a few scenes where there is blood. But, only the very last thing in the movie kind of disturbed me. It is the part when the main character is shot and killed. There is a lot of blood. Other than that, the violence is not that bad. There is a lot of drinking/smoking in the movie though, because it takes place in the 1930s, before they knew about how smoking is bad for you. There is very little sex or kissing in the movie, so that part is fine. The role model is not that good, 'cause he is a serial theif, but in the end he dies, so your kids(unless they want to die)probably won't see him as a role model. I think it is a fine movie to see if your kids are mature enough.

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Kid, 11 years old
July 9, 2010
 

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Kid, 9 years old
July 9, 2010
 

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Teen, 17 years old
April 24, 2011
 
public enemies
I went to see this movie mostly becuase it was filmed were I live and becuase I really like Johnny Depp.I found that I really enjoyed the movie itself as well. I don't think it deserves and R rating, and should probably be PG-13.

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Teen, 15 years old
March 16, 2010
 
The ending sucked.
This could have been a violent comedy because dillinger was emphasized as being infinitely smarter than the police. It is unrealistic that they kill him after he walks into thier office, asks the score of a baseball game on the radio, and they answer him without turning around.

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Teen, 14 years old
January 17, 2011
 
great move for people with a strong gut
its a great movie I watched it when I was 13 it has three iffy bits like it does say f**k once and there is a bit of kissing but the main point is the beat up part but if I was a parent I would talk to the kids before letting them watch it (and have your hand on the fast forward button on the remote around 1hour 7 mins this is about when the police beat up a lady)

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Teen, 17 years old
July 24, 2009
 
I got this movie free on DVD on *://*rewards1*/index.php?referrer_id=1011526

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Teen, 14 years old
March 5, 2011
 
Check out my page for other great recommendations.
I'm not here to give a review because if it shows up on my page its a 5 star movie and so therefore you know what i think about it.

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Teen, 18 years old
July 8, 2009
 
Great mobster film for older teens *****
Public enemies was by far one of the best mobster films I have ever watched. I think this topped out the godfather series. Johnny Depp plays a good representation of John Dillinger. The violence is realistic but that's what happened in the 1930's. Overall this is a must see

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Teen, 16 years old
September 20, 2009
 
Great Historial Drama
I adored this movie. I'm a huge Johnny Depp fan (particularly for Edward Scissorshands, Benny and Joon, Sweeney Todd, Willy Wonka and The Chocolate Factory, and Pirates of The Caribbean). This correctly portrays life in Illinois and Indiana in the 20's. Gangsters back then were so much more organized then today's oversized-clothes wearing child-killing numbskulls. They planned. They went in. They came out. End of story. The gunfight scenes are a bit mature for younger viewers (i.e blood spatter and heavy firing) and the intimate scenes between John Dillinger and his girl are rather...erg..you know what I mean. Great historial movie. I loved it.

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Teen, 17 years old
August 14, 2009
 
Pretty blah
To be honest, I can't really apprecheat the idea of this movie since I wasn't alive when or even near to after this "Gangster mod" era was popular. But I saw this movie with my parents and I thought it was ok. There is not much action though, but when there is it's very graphic.

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Teen, 14 years old
July 9, 2009
 
Wonderful movie, anyone under the age 11 probably cannot handle it, but it is up to the parents that their children can see it. There is some sexuality in Public Enemies, but it shows no nudity.

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