The Departed

Martin Scorsese has been absent from the crime genre he so pioneered back in the 1970s, recently spreading his wings with Gangs of New York and The Aviator and still failing to capture that elusive Oscar. So it is nice to see him re-invigorated and focused simply on telling a good story without one eye on the awards, the irony being that this is probably a better film for it. A remake, or re-imagining, of the classic Hong Kong film Internal Affairs, the Departed focuses on Matt Damon and Leonardo DiCaprio two young cops, one (Damon) on the payroll of local mob boss Costello infiltrating the police, the other (DiCaprio) a cop disgraced in order to gain access to Costello's gang. It is from this set up that we are launched headlong into the film, the pounding of the Dropkick Murphy's in the soundtrack and a sense of exhilaration and anticipation. Now I won't detail any of the films many twists and turns but what you end up with is an uncompromising, violent, over the top testosterone fuelled police drama anchored by fantastic performances all round. Set in Boston with the backdrop of Irish immigration all the stars excel, rising to the occasion with flair, Jack Nicholson is as unhinged as ever, Matt Damon wonderfully self-assured and slimy as the ruthless Sullivan but it is DiCaprio who impresses the most playing what could have been a one-dimensional character with great empathy. He has quietly become an impressive leading man and as the film progresses you can see the burden of his assignment literally weighing down on his shoulders, blurring his ideas of who he is and what is right and wrong. The script is smart, vulgar and entertaining and Dominic Monaghan managers to give everyone a chance to shine, creating an entertaining and tension filled film that still manages to look at the deeper issues of identity and deception. In fact the film runs at 2 1/2 hours but doesn't feel it. The story is constantly intriguing, and while the violence is harsh it fits the world that these characters live in, a kind of exaggerated fantasy grounded by the reality of these characters. However the film does drag a little at the end, leaving you unsure as to where it is heading, and personally, I was disappointed by some events near the end of the film. It does work and fit the story, it is just not where I would have liked to see it go, but this is partly due to the bond you feel with these characters as the movie progresses. But aside from this and a few plot points that niggle once you start to think about them afterwards, there is not much to complain at here. The Departed is a masterfully crafted piece of filmmaking. Neither overly flashy nor violent just for the sake of it, it is a timely reminder of Scorsese's ability and is a blast to watch. Not for the feint of heart but if hard boiled action with some of Hollywood’s greatest actors commanding the screen is your thing, you won’t find many films better than this. A return to blistering form from one of America's finest directors, macho, tough, violent and very enjoyable this is a tour-de-force of acting from some of Hollywood's brightest stars, young and old.