Review: The Departed (2006)

So yeah, after catching this on AMC about two or three years ago, I stumbled across The Departed on the HBO Go app (which I love, thank you HBO).

Anyways, I used this as an opportunity to reintroduce myself to the film, and suffice to say, I did enjoy it.

Now, I'm going to admit right off the bat that it isn't the same kind of wild explosion that, say, Goodfellas is, or the boiling cauldron of tension that Taxi Driver is, but as a straightforward crime film, helmed by one of the undisputed masters of the genre, it still stands a pretty damn solid film.

Scorsese, as always, has a supremely unique eye for both direction and character interaction, with his camera constantly placing us directly in the midst of the film's world, this time the streets of Boston. His camera couples both elaborate camera movements with more subdued work, and his long time collaborator Thelma Schoonmacher is an absolute mastermind editor, making the 2 hours 34 minutes fly by at a brisk, yet perfectly timed pace. It doesn't rush, nor does it drag, maintaining tension and flow throughout the elaborate and complex story.

The acting is, as always for Scorsese, top notch, with DiCaprio and Damon inhabiting their roles perfectly, and providing sharp contrasts for each other. DiCaprio is always on edge, and primed for outbursts, befitting his character's tension filled state as an undercover cop. Damon on the other hand, is self assured and almost insufferably smug, lying through his teeth like a fish takes to water, which is perfect for his role as the Mob's informant who is a mole within the Boston police department. In a way, they serve as dual protagonists, and the film spends equal time developing them in the 20 minute prologue that sets up the plot, and makes sure that we are able to feel them as characters.

Jack Nicholson however, steals the show as the fantastically evil Frank Costello, who is based on real life Boston mob-boss White Bulger. Here, Nicholson goes wild, his trademark sneer and unhinged attitude being taken to their evil extreme. Costello is an absolutely horrible individual, who seemingly has become the Avatar for the entirety of Boston's vices, be they drug dealing, murder or sexual perversity (the latter of which is, thankfully, not shown explicitly, but rather in passing). Yet, the entire time, Nicholson is undeniably charismatic, and is even able to be funny, albeit in a black as night kind of dark humor that few actors can handle so deftly.

Martin Sheen, Mark Wahlberg and Alec Baldwin all fill their parts perfectly as well, but ultimately, the film's focus is on DiCaprio, Damon and Nicholson, and their own interactions with each other. Mark Wahlberg's nomination I feel is justified, if only as a sign of how, when he's on point, few can match Wahlberg's ability to perfectly encapsulate Boston.

Vera Farmiga is quite solid as the police psychologist/love interest for both Damon and DiCaprio, and while the film, in theory, would have probably been a little tighter without this subplot, she still doesn't feel annoying or disingenuous. And her scenes with DiCaprio and Damon feel real, which is good, and she's got a likable grace about her.

The use of music, ranging from The Rolling Stones to Patsy Cline to Roger Waters to The Dropkick Murphies and Italian opera, is classic Scorsese, with tunes flying in and out at a breakneck pace, underscoring the violence and action in a way that only Scorsese can muster.

Now, I will say that, like I said earlier, this film is not Goodfellas. It's a more complex film, and it's plots can get a bit tied up. Plus, it has a long running time, so if you expect something that's constantly flying about like a wild maniac, it's not going to be your kind of film. It's really more of a character study then a plot concerned film, and it does a good job at that. I mentioned earlier that the romance subplot is a bit unnecessarily, and the main reason for that is that it really doesn't contribute to the central plot or major themes. Now, I don't know if this is a hold over from Internal Affairs, the Hong Kong thriller of which this is a remake, or if this is an American addition, but either way, it does still distract from the more interesting crime elements of the movie.

Luckily, the film is still strong enough to be very enjoyable, and due to it's complex plot, I can easily see this being rewatched to catch a new plot detail or character moment. Also, since I'm a sucker for bad guys getting their comeuppance, I think the ending works perfectly fine as well. Also, knowing Scorsese, and his apparent preference to see the villains of his stories get their due, it fits in with the rest of his filmography.

Sure, it's not Goodfellas, but then again, it's really trying to be. Goodfellas is Henry Hill telling us about his life through his POV, while The Departed is more grand in scope, and arguably more objective in it's style. The audience isn't being directly related the story by a character within it, but is instead observing the events of the story as a third party. This means it isn't as visceral perhaps, but I wasn't disappointed by it, and I think it deserved Best Picture.

So for me, I'm gonna give it a 4.5 out of 5.