The Departed (2006)
by D
by D
The Departed is this decade's version of the Goodfellas, you may say, and for good reason; Martin Scorcese directed both. Betrayal, violence, profanity, and tension is abound in this thriller that doesn't disappoint.
At 2 and half hours, The Departed can be an intimidating film at first, but no time is wasted, and everything that is put into the movie is important enough to learn/know. This is great because you won't be sitting there wondering why certain parts were even put in. I can't tell you how much this helps out the film in the long run.
The story could be called a little bland, some might even say unoriginal, but the way it is crafted and carried out more than makes up for the lack of imagination. You'll be kept on your toes by constant twists and events that truly make you wonder what may happen next. The dialogue is great as well, and all of the actors really make you believe they are from Massachusetts. The gritty surroundings and harsh language really help convince you that these guys could be legitimate gangsters.
The violence is not that bad, at least not to me. It wasn't over done or unrealistic, and it should be pretty easy to stomach for most watchers. Profanity may be an issue to some (not me), but would it really be believable if brutal gangsters talked like some English women having a tea party? And it's not overbearing either; the amount of swearing in the Departed certainly isn't ground breaking.
But the best part about the film by far is the actors. Are you kidding me? They are all cast perfectly, and Jack Nicholson gives another great performance as a mob fat cat. In the movie, he is 70 years old and still could scare the crap out of you. Other than Jack, you also have Matt Damon and Leonardo DiCaprio, both very respected and talented actors. Leo is great at playing a disturbed cop that infiltrates Nicholson's mafia by going undercover. Matt is great as a police officer who also doubles as one of Nicholson's right hand men.
All in all, the Departed can be compared to the Goodfellas in most facets of both movies. However, they are different movies. Scorcese is great as director, and the actors make this movie incredible. Ignoring the somewhat lackluster story, the Departed can easily be regarded as one of the decade's top films, perhaps one of the best of all time.
The Departed's Final Rating: 8.7 out of 10
At 2 and half hours, The Departed can be an intimidating film at first, but no time is wasted, and everything that is put into the movie is important enough to learn/know. This is great because you won't be sitting there wondering why certain parts were even put in. I can't tell you how much this helps out the film in the long run.
The story could be called a little bland, some might even say unoriginal, but the way it is crafted and carried out more than makes up for the lack of imagination. You'll be kept on your toes by constant twists and events that truly make you wonder what may happen next. The dialogue is great as well, and all of the actors really make you believe they are from Massachusetts. The gritty surroundings and harsh language really help convince you that these guys could be legitimate gangsters.
The violence is not that bad, at least not to me. It wasn't over done or unrealistic, and it should be pretty easy to stomach for most watchers. Profanity may be an issue to some (not me), but would it really be believable if brutal gangsters talked like some English women having a tea party? And it's not overbearing either; the amount of swearing in the Departed certainly isn't ground breaking.
But the best part about the film by far is the actors. Are you kidding me? They are all cast perfectly, and Jack Nicholson gives another great performance as a mob fat cat. In the movie, he is 70 years old and still could scare the crap out of you. Other than Jack, you also have Matt Damon and Leonardo DiCaprio, both very respected and talented actors. Leo is great at playing a disturbed cop that infiltrates Nicholson's mafia by going undercover. Matt is great as a police officer who also doubles as one of Nicholson's right hand men.
All in all, the Departed can be compared to the Goodfellas in most facets of both movies. However, they are different movies. Scorcese is great as director, and the actors make this movie incredible. Ignoring the somewhat lackluster story, the Departed can easily be regarded as one of the decade's top films, perhaps one of the best of all time.
The Departed's Final Rating: 8.7 out of 10
Excellent. A great, great movie. I saw it last night at a special screening and must say it was a tour de force. Even though Boston is not really a gritty town Scorsese was able to capture a darker side of the city.
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