Black Mass

In the mid-1970s, James “Whitey” Bulger (Johnny Depp), leader of South Boston’s Winter Hill Gang, reconnects with John Connolly (Joel Edgerton), an old friend from the neighborhood who is now an FBI agent. Bulger agrees to supply Connolly with information to crush the Mafia in exchange for protection from prosecution. Given a wide berth as an FBI informant, Bulger increases his power and influence, dropping several bodies along the way all while Connolly and Bulger’s state senator brother Billy (Benedict Cumberbatch) turn a blind eye.

Given the similar subject matter, Scott Cooper’s adaptation of Dick Lehr and Gerard O’Neill’s book invites an obvious comparison to The Departed. Mentioning Cooper and Martin Scorsese in the same breath is not nearly as blasphemous as it sounds. The former, like the latter, has a good eye for period detail, a good ear for period music, and a penchant for going to uncomfortable places. But whereas The Departed, boosted by a crazed Jack Nicholson as a fictionalized Bulger, dared to have some fun, Black Mass is, as the title indicates, a somber affair from beginning to end.

Serious, however, is not synonymous with dull, at least not in this context. Depp’s Bulger oozes menace, and all who come into contact with him seem like they are one wrong word away from eating a bullet. Thanks to heavy makeup and a convincing accent, Depp is able to completely disappear into the role. Shedding the vestigial pluckiness of Jack Sparrow, he plays Bulger as brutal, calculating, and ruthlessly opportunistic (The lip service paid to familial devotion and the well-documented racism that was excised from the film make Bulger more human but no less villainous).

Such is the magnitude of his evil that nearly every other character (save for an innocent wife and a few straight arrow Feds) comes across as both a victim and a complicit enabler. Connolly, a career climber and wannabe tough guy, advocates for Bulger to a ludicrous degree, but even this can be read as his slavish determination for upholding the values of his neighborhood. Steve Flemmi (Rory Cochrane), Kevin Weeks (Jesse Plemmons), and Johnny Martorano (W. Earl Brown), Bulger’s Winter Hill accomplices, are reduced to mere underlings despite being stone cold killers in their own right. Even Billy Bulger (played ably by Cumberbatch, despite the poor physical resemblance), who spends most of his brief screen time glad-handing voters and avoiding any discussion of his brother’s activities, seems, for all his clout, a man with his hands permanently glued over his ears.

This overstatement serves dramatic purposes well though it does undercut the film’s veracity, as do some fudging of names and dates. A bigger issue here is the paucity of secondary characters, particularly women. While the Winter Hill muscle comes across as somewhat flat, that’s more than can be said for Bulger’s paramour Lindsay Cyr (Dakota Johnson), who drops out of the film relatively early with minimal impact, or for Flemmi’s naïve, doomed street-walking stepdaughter Deborah Hussey (Juno Temple). Only Marianne Connolly (Julianne Nicholson), John’s conflicted wife, shows any kind of agency.

Despite these shortcomings, Black Mass remains a harrowing look at the man who dominated a city and its inhabitants for nearly two decades as well as all those who allowed that to happen. It may not be everyone’s cup of chowdah, but it gives the ghosts of Southie their due.

8/10

This Dark Road to Mercy

Following her mother’s death, twelve-year-old Easter is forced to grow up in a hurry. She looks after her younger sister Ruby in foster care until their absent father Wade, a former minor league baseball player, emerges out of the blue and absconds with them. As Easter tries to piece together the kind of trouble Wade is in, he tries to mend their broken relationship. Meanwhile, the trio is pursued independently by both Brady Weller, the girls’ dutiful court-appointed guardian, and by Robert Pruitt, a mysterious and sinister man who has long harbored a grudge against Wade. As time passes, all three parties threaten to violently converge.

Like an eclectic friend’s literary mix tape, Wiley Cash’s second novel deftly blends several genres and influences. This Dark Road to Mercy is part road trip, part family drama, part sports story, part crime thriller, and part Southern Gothic adventure. The family dynamics read like a dark echo of Harper Lee, the working-class North Carolina milieu evokes Ron Rash, and the criminal stupidity and sarcastic dialogue evoke Elmore Leonard. That Cash can weave all of this together into something not only cohesive but taut and lean is a testament to his skill as a writer and storyteller.

At times, however, this efficiency can be a double-edged sword. Easter is a sympathetic and engaging character, but since we spend so much of the novel with her on the run, the action stilts her development in a way. And while Cash’s economy spares the reader excess, it sometimes seems like he is flinching. It’s true that the most chilling images are often the ones we are left to conjure ourselves, but Cash’s tiptoeing around the aftermath Pruitt’s violent rampage lowers the stakes and neuters the character’s menace.

With so many books bloated by minutiae and needless digression This Dark Road to Mercy is that rare read that could really benefit from more. Still, what’s there is enough to make a lasting impression.

8/10

913 Whiskey Bar and Southern Kitchen

Located at 913 South Chapman Street in Greensboro, 913 Whiskey Bar and Southern Kitchen specializes in whiskies, bourbons, cocktails, and Southern-inspired sandwiches, salads, flatbreads, and plates. Limited outdoor seating is available, and drink specials change frequently. The establishment is open Wednesday through Saturday.

For those who enjoy a good drink, the draw here is obvious: there are more than two dozen whiskeys (to say nothing of ryes and scotches and bourbons) from near and far and enough appealingly creative cocktails to inspire a mad quest to try them all. But even those who don’t imbibe can find a lot to like at 913. Don’t let “I’m not a whiskey drinker” keep you from giving this establishment its due.

To begin, 913 is a very comfortable place to enjoy a drink or a bite to eat. Three different seating areas (bar, main, and patio) ensure that there is enough space to go around. The ambiance is classy without being stuffy: think somewhere between sports bar and martini bar with the friendliness of the former and the panache of the latter.

Service is another plus here. Steven, one of two bartenders on duty during our visit, proved to be quite knowledgeable and helpful in guiding my fiancée toward a whiskey. Instead of trying to upsell, he took the time to listen and explain and ultimately made a very good impression. Wait time for food proved to be minimal as well. Though it wasn’t crowded during our visit, all indications are that 913 runs a very tight ship.

Further, the food gives credence to the idea that “southern kitchen” is more than just an afterthought. The menu offers up both tried-and-true classics (wings, collards, okra, pulled pork, chicken and waffles) as well as some novel combinations (a gouda/mushroom/okra/garlic sandwich). My fiancée rolled the dice with The Farmhand (a pesto/tomato/mushroom/okra flatbread topped with two cheeses and various herbs) while I opted for a smoked mac and cheese (with pulled pork and tomato onion jam) sandwich on sourdough and tater tots. Neither of us regretted our decision. The sourdough held the sandwich together well, and the mac and cheese within was creamy without being overbearingly rich (the tomato jam added a hint of sweetness). The flatbread likewise offered a great fusion of flavors and textures. At $8 and $10 respectively, both dishes were reasonably priced and well worth the money spent.

Honestly, there is very little not to like here. The hours are somewhat limited (5 p.m. to 11 or midnight, four days a week), and if you don’t luck into a space across the street, finding parking can be a guessing game. That aside, 913 offers a good combination of food, service, ambiance, and affordability for whiskeyphiles and teetotalers alike.

8.75/10

Bib's Downtown

Located at 675 West 5^th Street in downtown Winston-Salem, Bib’s Downtown offers barbeque for lunch and dinner. Beer and wine are available, as is outdoor seating. For events, Bib’s both caters and offers private dining in The Hickory Room. There are wing specials on Wednesdays, and pizza specials change monthly.

With its myriad styles and regional variations, barbeque, like pizza, welcomes debate. But no matter what your specific preference (dry or wet, vinegar or tomato, etc.), there are certain universal expectations. Meats should be moist and flavorful, sauces should enhance (but not overwhelm) the dish, and sides should be a worthwhile complement. By these standards, Bib’s nails certain targets while falling decidedly short of others.

First, the good: Bib’s is rather accommodating. There is plenty of seating indoors and out, and all of the staff are friendly and personable. The ladies and gentlemen behind the registers had plenty of patience, and overall-clad pitmaster Mark Little can often be found checking in on patrons. Food also arrived from the kitchen relatively promptly, a definite plus given the tempting smells in the air.

Speaking of food, Bib’s delivers on variety and value. While there are apps and salads here, the meats – be they in platter or sandwich form – take center stage. With everything from pork (pulled or tenderloin) and chicken to brisket and ribs, there is a nice assortment to choose from, and the indecisive can always opt for a two or three meat combo. Single meat platters run in the $8 to $10 range and include slaw, hush puppies, and a choice of side. Come hungry, and you will get your money’s worth.

In terms of flavor, however, Bib’s is decidedly more uneven. During our first visit, my fiancée and I split a sausage and brisket combo with red (BBQ) slaw and mac and cheese. The meats were juicy, and the sausage had a nice smoky flavor. The brisket could have done with more seasoning, and the watery sauces (of which there were only two) did little to remedy that. Among the sides, the red slaw balanced sweet and vinegary while the hush puppies (an odd ball-shaped variant with delicious black pepper notes) were well above average. The mac and cheese, on the other hand, was creamy but quite bland.

If there is one other drawback to dining at Bib’s, it’s the acoustics. We visited when the restaurant was less than half full, but the sound indicated a far busier establishment. Come when it’s crowded and you may have to yell to be heard.

All told, Bib’s won’t settle any great BBQ debates, but it does have great service, variety, and enough tasty food to make it worth a return.

7.75/10