Don’t miss ‘The Departed’
Published 10:35 am Monday, March 3, 2008
Andrea: “The Departed” is not “Goodfellas” or Taxi Driver,” but this Martin Scorsese film is the director’s best work in a decade, hands down.
Steve: You’re right — and there have been very few movies made in recent years that are as gritty and tense as “The Departed.” “The French Connection” comes immediately to mind.
Andrea: Gotcha. And, apart from technology — the cell phone is almost a supporting character — “The Departed” could have been set in 1970s Boston — and not Beantown’s tourist attractions. Adapted from 2002’s Hong Kong import “Infernal Affairs,” the movie walks that fine line that can exist between some cops and some criminals.
Steve: Jack Nicholson is at peak form as scary crime lord Frank Costello, who grooms one of his constituents, Colin Sullivan, (Matt Damon) from childhood to be his informant inside the Massachusetts State Police. Meanwhile, another tough kid from South Boston, Billy Costigan (Leonardo DiCaprio) wants to escape his family ties from the same part of town, and become a State Policeman. Costigan is soon recruited by Capt. Queenan (Martin Sheen) to infiltrate Costello’s outfit. You can see where this is going…
Andrea: You’ll want to start predicting the movie in the first ten minutes. But the kicker is, you’ll be way off the mark. Scorsese orchestrates so many twists, turns and tension, the audience can’t help from being drawn into the movie. Viewers will definitely will forget all about their popcorn.
Steve: This film wound me up so tight, I found myself holding my breath during several scenes. We should point out that this is an extremely violent movie —
Andrea: I would say authentically violent, along with its nonstop profanity and ethnic slurs, many of them from Mark Wahlberg, who steals some scenes as Queenan’s brow-beating sergeant. The dialogue flows with an often rapid fire, David Mamet style rhythm.
Steve: Yes, “The Departed” is violent, but it’s not gratuitous; rather, it’s realistic and very ugly. The most striking aspect of this great movie, I think, is a surplus of really compelling performances.
Andrea: I agree. Every actor stands out, and apart from Nicholson’s always attention-commanding presence, no one character overshadows the other — though I have to say that Nicholson even outdoes himself, giving Costello a deliciously unhinged persona that’s a bit reminiscent of “The Shining.”
Steve: Alec Baldwin, as a seen-it-all veteran cop, delivers a funny turn as a slightly toned-down version of himself, and Vera Farmigan is radiant as the psychiatrist who becomes a common link between Sullivan and Costigan.
Andrea: DiCaprio delivers the best performance of his career. He will surprise a lot of people. Oh, there will definitely be some award nominations — but it will be tough to sort out who’s a leading actor and who’s a supporting actor when Oscar nomination time comes around.
Steve: But the real burning question is whether Scorsese will not just get the Academy Award nomination for directing, but finally win a statue of his own. It’s been a long time coming.
