The interesting, yet somewhat frustrating, thing about "Public Enemies" is that it disguises itself as a shoot-em-up action film, wants to be a thought-provoking character drama, yet ends up being a somewhat predictable romance story.

Don't get me wrong; it is indubitably one of the better films I have seen this year thus far, but when push comes to shove, there's something about "Public Enemies" that just doesn't last.

Johnny Depp stars as legendary gangster John Dillinger in a constantly intriguing performance that shows how much Depp can have fun with a role and still maintain a reverent sense of professionalism. His performance is one that won't win awards, having no big monologue or key scene to truly display his chops. Yet his performance will sit well with viewers who hopefully will enjoy Depp's cocky and hilariously inspired take on the notorious bank robber just as much as I did.

Christian Bale leads the other side of the good-guy/bad-guy spectrum as Melvin Purvis, the man who led the FBI's war on crime that helped bring down gangsters like Dillinger. Speaking in short yet authoritatively punctuated statements, Bale sounds like he's attempting his best Obama impression during parts of his performance. Most of his performance, though, just serves as a basic antithesis for the maniacal mastery of Dillinger's mindset.

The cat-and-mouse pursuit between the two characters draws memorable comparisons to movies and characters of similar subject matter, most specifically the back-and-forth that occurred between Tom Hanks and Leonardo DiCaprio in "Catch Me If You Can".

I found Depp's Dillinger to be like DiCaprio's Frank Abagnale Jr. in many ways, most notably their enjoyment in playing games with those who are pursuing them. In one of the movie's most memorable scenes, Depp walks straight into the office of the unit working on his capture, asks the baseball-distracted officers what the score is, and then walks right back out. It's a move that took serious guts, and Depp's cool and collective mannerisms clearly illustrate the games that Dillinger enjoyed playing.

While Dillinger isn't playing games, he's robbing banks, the act for which he is most notorious. In scenes of bank robbery, the timing gets tight, the characters are determined, and it's where the movie is at a high point of excitement and intrigue. Dillinger's cockiness shines through at all times, even when he is eventually caught.

Interviewed by news reporters, cameras flashing, Dillinger brags about how he can rob a bank in "One Minute, Forty Seconds ... Flat." He smiles for the lenses, completely aware of the headlines that will glorify his crimes the following morning. He enjoys the coverage, he waves to people as he's being taken away, and he wants to be known.

Depp portrays Dillinger as a man who will do anything for fame, even if it's not the kind of fame that a typical person would wish to achieve.

Even in jail, Dillinger is able to work the masses and things somehow end up going his way. In my favorite sequence from the film, Dillinger not only escapes from the jail that is holding him, but he does it in style. I won't reveal the intensities or hilarities, but I will say you'll be biting your nails and laughing yourself into hysterics simultaneously.

Despite the shoot-outs, bank robberies and character studies, "Public Enemies" is one thing above all, and it's something I'm not sure it was fully aiming to become: a romance.

There always has to be a love interest in a bad guy film, someone to take his blows, someone to cry when he's away, someone to add a little bit of spice to the mix. As Billie Frenchette, Marion Cotillard is ravishing. She executes all her lines with a beautiful sense of realism, conveying a woman who truly is in love and will do anything for this man, despite his crimes.

I found the romance intriguing, but afterward when I learned that the ending of the movie was essentially completely fabricated in order to add an extra bit of romantic zing and tragedy to the film, I was somewhat perturbed. In order to avoid any spoilers, you can do the research and/or see the movie yourself, but I believe you will find that what actually happened in Dillinger's final moments compared to what happens on screen is vastly different. In fact, what actually happened would've made a better ending, rather than the somewhat cliche route that "Public Enemies" takes instead.

Either way, "Public Enemies" is a fine film filled with excitement and interest alike. The shoot-outs are thoroughly enjoyable, but I moreso appreciate the fact that the bullets need to travel through actual substance before they reach their target. Said substance includes fully developed characters, a highly intricate story line, and surprising amounts of humor.

This is not a film for everyone, and it's not a film that will stand the test of time. It wants to be. And it makes a worthy attempt. But ultimately "Public Enemies" makes me an offer that, after time, I could easily refuse.