'The Departed' (18)

****

DVD Release

Two new recruits graduate into the Boston police force at the same time, only for one of them to be fast-tracked into a high-ranking position, whilst the other is forced to go deep undercover with an notorious gang, fronted by the infamous Costello, the police department’s top priority.

Being the prolific director that he is, Scorsese has the pick of the A-list stars, so it is unsurprisingly that The Departed boasts a seriously impressive cast list. Leonardo DiCaprio leads the pack as Billy, a bright new recruit who is forced to go deep undercover in gang run by Jack Nicholson’s Costello. In the meantime, fellow trooper Sullivan (Matt Damon), a cop as bent as they come, works his way up the police hierarchy, overseen by the foul-mouthed Dignam (Mark Wahlberg), the exasperated Ellerby (Alec Baldwin), and the patient father-figured Captain Queenan (Martin Sheen). Oh, yes, and Ray Winstone turns up as Costello’s right-hand man. With such acting heavy-weights on screen, and such a great director behind the camera, you know that you’re in safe hands from the moment Nicholson’s iconic gruff voice begins the opening monologue. Essentially a race against time, The Departed begins slowly, but the final hour or so is filled with twists, turns, unexpected deaths, and moments of great tension. Indeed, in the final half an hour, the film racks up a higher death-rate than the conclusion of King Lear, blood being spattered across walls and clothes in gleeful abandon. It’s an enjoyable romp through Boston’s seedy underbelly, accompanied by an excellent score, and some nifty camera angles. It’s packed full of violence, witty one-liners (especially from Wahlberg) and moments where I genuinely said ‘No, don’t do it!’ to the characters on screen.

We have, however, been treated to a plethora of cop films over the years, so in terms of originality, this doesn’t really add much, and compared to other inner-city police dramas, like the far superior L.A. Confidential, it feels a little empty. The opening hour is a slow-burner, and the film as a whole runs for nearly two and a half hours, which did feel somewhat excessive. Similarly, Vera Farmiga’s role as therapist Madolyn was criminally underwritten, her character being essentially unnecessary to the plot altogether. The sheer amount of swearing means that ‘meaningful’ profanities become unremarkable – I can’t help feeling that using swear words frugally would give them more of an impact when they do come to be used in more poignant scenes. Matt Damon’s accent is all over the place, but it isn’t quite a poor as Ray Winstone’s attempt at something other than cockney. I’m also not convinced that Jack Nicholson actually acted at all – he just walked on, did the voice, did the eyebrows, swore a lot, and then exited the scene. Still, he is a formidable screen presence and suits the role of gangster very well.

By no means perfect, and by no means original, The Departed is made remarkable because of the sheer acting talent on screen, as well as a pithy script that keeps you guessing as to who is really working for who. Scorsese once again works his magic behind the camera, mixing up the length of shots and resting the lens at different angles, creating a visually interesting piece, accompanied by a strong score. An utter bloodbath come the end, it is wholly enjoyable, and tense enough to keep you hooked for the duration of the excessive run-time.