The Departed (USA) (Warner Bros) (2006) ***Year: 2006iMDB
Director: Martin Scorsese Cast: Leonardo DiCaprio, Matt Damon, Jack Nicholson, Mark Wahlberg, Martin Sheen, Alec Baldwin
Scorsese rallies a star-studded cast as he produces a remake of the Hong Kong superhit Infernal Affairs. Will Costigan (DiCaprio) is an undercover cop infiltrating the most powerful Boston mobster Frank Costello (Nicholson). Collin Sullivan (Damon) is a Special Investigation Unit detective but also a moll for Costello. As everyone starts figuring out that there is an infiltrator in each organization (both cops and mobsters) a battle of wits and strategizing ensues both sides trying to be the first to smoke out the rat. DeCaprio stands his own opposite Nicholson and delivers a remarkable performance, while Sheen, Wahlberg and Baldwin add up to a solid supporting cast.
If one is not familiar with the original script, The Departed appears as a solid cop-mobster movie with a plot whose twists are for the most part original yet believable. However, the movie ending, while not exactly Hollywoodian, simply becomes too messy and also departs (pun intended) from the original in a change that actually makes the movie less edgy without really adding a true sense of closure. Instead of leaving the theaters discussing where things are left, after the body-count is done, there is nothing left to care about a feeling which even overshadows the journey until then.
While many fans are already crying that this must be the year Scorsese gets his overdue Oscar, if their wish comes true it will only be another story of a compensation award for a movie that is far from being Scorsese's top.
Posted by TheCasualCritic on October 22, 2006 03:49 PM | TrackBack