“Minamata” (** out of four) was an overly diffuse melodrama based on the true story of war photographer W. Eugene Smith (Johnny Depp) who traveled back to Japan to document the devastating effects of mercury poisoning on coastal communities which made him a severe enemy of various Japanese businesses and the government (Hiroyuki Sonada, Masayoshi Haneda, and others) but made him an icon of truth and journalism. Earnest and well-intentioned story never quite connects emotionally and doesn’t have the emotional pull or wallop that it desires and needs. Depp is OK in the lead but lacks the fervency and fire of his earlier and better performances 20-30 years ago.