****
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.
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