Synopsis
Public Enemy is a darkly comic drama by Kenneth Branagh set in 1980s Belfast during the height of the Troubles. The story follows Tommy Black, a young man who escapes the grim reality of sectarian violence through an obsession with old Hollywood gangster films, particularly those of James Cagney. Fuelled by fantasy and bravado, Tommy models himself after his cinematic heroes, blurring the line between movie glamour and brutal reality. As his delusions collide with the violence around him, the play exposes the cost of living in a world where myth and machismo replace hope.
Review
“For the most part, though, it’s a fairly effective crime drama and cautionary tale, a look at the allure of cinematic violence for youth trapped in the grim banality of real life.”
Variety