Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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31 of 34 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A remake? An original? Or both...?, February 18, 2007
I read some of the other reviews, and I'm frustrated that so many people are finding a problem with Martin Scorcese's sensibilities in adapting a Hong Kong -set thriller to an American venue, using his legendary experience to create a very American "original". I was immensely entertained, baffled at all the intended times, intrigued at the appropriate times, and thoroughly blown away with the remarkable ending. Others have blabbed away plot-points, and I'm glad I didn't read those reviews before I saw the film. There's no doubt that Scorcese is deserving of Oscar recognition, and trying to make comparisons to his other films doesn't fly with me. This was a brutal display of some very mean people, but not as gory as "Goodfellas", not as character driven as "Raging Bull" and not as gritty as "Taxi Driver". It WAS, however, a terrific plot-driven narrative, and Mr. Scorcese should be applauded for taking this very complicated story, where each character is constantly affecting the others, and making it coherent. Nicholson was, indeed, playing a familiar version of Nicholson, so it was a natural choice in casting but no stretch for the great Jack. The 2-disc DVD is fine, with ample interviews with Mr. Scorcese, and other interesting stuff, especially about Bulgar, the guy after which Nicholson's character was based. Very glad I made the investment. BTW: The sextet from "Lucia di Lammermoor" is by Donizetti, not Puccini. UPDATE: 2-26-07: I'm glad it won the Oscar.
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12 of 14 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Gripping Crime Drama Ignites the Screen, February 19, 2007
Based on the Hong Kong thriller, "Infernal Affairs" (2002), Martin Scorsese's "The Departed" is a shotgun blast to the pandering cinema that has afflicted the American screen of late. Scorsese has returned to the urban crime-drama genre that he helped to make famous with "Mean Streets" (1973) and "Goodfellas" (1990).
Scorsese, a consummate auteur, shares many thematic interests with his screenwriter, William Monahan. A Boston police officer, William Costigan (Leonardo DiCaprio), goes undercover in the local mob with the hope that he may purge himself of his family's criminal history (redemption and honor being major themes in Scorsese's films, such as "Gangs of New York"). Costigan's job is to provide enough evidence to allow the police to apprehend the head mobster, the lurid and merciless Frank Costello (Jack Nicholson). Costello has infiltrated the police force with a mole of his own, Colin Sullivan (Matt Damon), who Costello has been grooming since childhood (corruption being another important theme for Scorsese, see "Goodfellas"). Each of the moles quickly becomes aware of the other's presence, and they both realize that if either is going to survive, he must quickly find his opponent.
Monahan lathers his screenplay with the most vulgar language this side of Quentin Tarantino's "Pulp Fiction." Supporting actors Alec Baldwin and Mark Wahlberg, who both play upper level officers, deliver deliciously profane dialogue with side-splitting ease and authority. Matt Damon infuses the antagonistic Sullivan with poise, sophistication, and charisma. Leonardo DiCaprio's protagonist is conversely something of a blunt and unstable instrument. DiCaprio's work recalls that of James Dean, as he plays a frazzled young man waging war with the world and within himself. Surprisingly, screen legend Jack Nicholson is something of a weak link in the cast. He uses his trademark mixture of charisma and menace in a familiar and admittedly somewhat goofy portrayal of villainy.
The real star of the film is Scorsese. Taking a cue from an early exchange between Wahlberg's character and Costigan - "What's the matter don't you know any Shakespeare?" - Scorsese's presents the film as though it were one of the playwright's tragedies. Tragic and comedic tones are expertly juxtaposed. Music, be it classic rock or Howard Shore's score, is ever present. The Rolling Stones' "Gimme Shelter" is used to great effect during the film's opening. It acts as a harbinger of things to come. Violence is explosive and brutal. Michael Ballhaus' lighting is atmospheric and exaggerated. Note a scene in Sullivan's office where a bizarre light effect casts an X across the wall (Scorsese litters the mise en scène with X's, both as an homage to Howard Hawks's "Scarface" and a visual representation of Sullivan and Cositgan's duality). Relentless camera movement and Thelma Schoonmaker's jump cuts further give rise to a sense of nerve-jangling tension.
Under Scorsese' own admission, "The Departed" is his first attempt at a film with a plot. On paper, the film does indeed represent one of his more traditional, studio-friendly ventures. He is working with a very bankable cast and a three-act narrative (most of his films have been more concerned with character studies than a archetypal stroyline). Despite the creative limitations that may be associated with a more commercial project, Scorsese is more than able to elicit his own passions. "The Departed" is a fierce, raucous entertainment that is not to be missed.
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7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
Not a Classic, but Enjoyable, May 21, 2007
You have probably already come to grips with the fact that when you go to see a new Scorsese film, it's not going to be another "Taxi Driver." Without the burden of comparison to classic Scorsese works, "The Departed" is an enjoyable thriller with an all-star cast, some of whom deliver better than others.
On the subject of the cast, there is, of course, Jack Nicholson as Costello. Nicholson is a master of playing characters which are simultaneously disgusting and compelling, and this role is no exception. There's lots of great dialog in this film for Nicholson.
On the other end of the scale is Matt Damon, who seems a little weak in this film. There are a number of moments in the film where he pulls out the Good Will Hunting, and you think to yourself "Oh Geez." I am a fan of Damon's, but this role did not seem to be a great fit.
Mark Wahlberg's role is a relatively minor one, but it is one of the film's highlights. He is excellent as the extremely vulgar and abusive Sgt. Dignam, of whom I wanted to see more.
The best part of the film, though, is Leonardo DiCaprio, who's central performance as Billy Costigan is excellent to the point that Matt Damon seems diminished in the complementary role of Colin Sullivan.
As for the plot, I am told that this film is a remake of a 2002 Hong Kong film entitled "Infernal Affairs." It is the story of two moles; a police mole in the mob, and a mob mole in the police. The suspense lies in who will discover whom first.
If I had one major complaint about the film, it was that the script did not sufficiently (in my opinion) convey the motivation of DiCaprio's character. What motivated him to endure such a harrowing, dangerous, life-wrecking enterprise?
One last thing, I just remembered that Alec Baldwin is in the film, and he is quite good as well!
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