MOVIE RVIEW: Full of twists and turns, viewers won’t leave “The Departed” disapointed
Adapted from the critically acclaimed 2002 Chinese film, “Infernal Affairs,” “The Departed” offers a wonderfully complex story of cops versus mobsters and how each side of the law tries to destroy the other. Even though this film is well over two hours in length, your heart will be racing the entire time.
Director Martin Scorsese (“Gangs of New York”) has created nothing short of a masterpiece here. And this might be his chance to finally win an Oscar. His layout of such an intricate plot and a compelling cast of characters makes “The Departed” a jarring, mentally exhausting ride.
As Billy Costigan (Leonardo DiCaprio, “The Aviator”) graduates from the academy to work for the Boston State Police, he’s assigned to work undercover as a member of the Irish mafia. Headed by a notorious crime lord (Jack Nicholson, “About Schmidt”), we soon discover that the mafia has carried out their own plan of infiltration. In a series of smartly constructed scenes, opposite sides of the law try to thwart each other’s plans, turning the streets of Boston into a treacherous chessboard full of murder and intrigue.
Stay away from this film if you don’t tolerate violence or language very well. “The Departed” has a lot of both, making it a chaotic, accurate depiction of urban lawlessness.
Bloody shootouts and mounting suspicions proceed with lots of unpredictable twists in between. And as no one becomes safe on the screen, no one remains relaxed in the audience. Tensions and violence, progressively mount as high as the sky while all the players in this dangerous game calculate their every move. And the humanity in these characters, both inspiring and horrifying, will leave you in shock.
The film is such a triumph simply because it remains riveting and strong. This is not only due to the slick, punchy editing or the well-crafted plot development, but the actors as well. They all contribute grand, engaging performances.
Nicholson is effortless as a sagacious, controlled mob boss. He delivers some great one-liners with a superb combination of charisma and intimidation. Matt Damon (“The Bourne Identity”) almost steals the show as a smooth cop with a secret plan. Being cast totally against type in this film, Damon proves to be as sharp as a tack. But it’s DiCaprio whom this film belongs to. By portraying a downtrodden washout trying to make a better life for himself, he gives a tragically compelling performance as a cop trying to do his job without cracking under the pressure.
Each of the supporting characters give powerful performances too, including Mark Wahlberg (“Invincible”) and Alec Baldwin (“Fun with Dick and Jane”) as blatant cops and Vera Farmiga (“Running Scared”) as a torn psychiatrist.
Reminiscent of Scorsese’s 1990 mob saga, “Goodfellas,” “The Departed” sets the standard for films of this genre. And while some may think that the crime-thriller film has been done and overdone numerous times, “The Departed” proves that it can still deliver the goods with a capable cast, unforeseen surprises and out-of-the-box storytelling.
Casey T. Allen is The Statesman
movie critic. Comments can
be sent to caseyal@cc.usu.edu