The Round Up is pleased to present a review of The Departed
Although there is also a BUT coming too and we’ll get to it in a second. First lets talk about the film itself.
The Departed is a complex story set in and around the police departments & underworld of Boston. Crime boss Frank Costello (Jack Nicholson) manages to impregnate the Police staff with one of his own boys, Colin Sullivan (Matt Damon). While new police graduate, Billy Costigan (Leonardo DiCaprio) is drafted in by the cops to one of Costello’s crews. And so begins one of the most excellent games of cat and mouse ever brought to screen. Nicholson, Damon and DiCaprio are all on career best form and act up a storm. All three are ably supported by Martin Sheen, Alec Baldwin and Mark Walberg. In fact, Walberg more than holds his own in this company and it’s the first time since Boogie Nights that we really get to see what he can be capable of.
Hey, It’s won 4 Oscars so it must be good! And it sure is, in fact I’d go as far to say that it’s one of the best films I’ve seen in a very long time.
But, and there is a BUT with this film, and this is the time for it. When you watch GoodFellas, you felt as if you were spying into a world of gangsters and mobsters. You were getting a front row seat to a world that really existed. Where these characters, although larger than life, were still very real and believable.
The problem I have with The Departed is that although it’s impeccably acted, it’s just that, “Acted”. I never feel as if I’m spying into that secret world like I did with GoodFellas. I simply felt as if I was watching a great film, with great actors and a great story. It never made that leap into the world where I was completely immersed in the story and characters. I just felt as if, “Wow, Jack Nicholson really is a great actor”. And I should have been thinking, “Christ, I really hope I never bump into Frank Costello!”.
And as a final point, that last shot on the balcony right at the end o f the film was completely unnecessary, if the idea was to underline the fact there’s a lot of Rat Bastards out there etc, it simply wasn’t needed and ends up being a rather cheap shot. But hey, that’s just my opinion.
That being said, The Departed is a great film and one that I fully intend to watch again. Plus, if you don’t agree, I want to hear about it. That’s what’s great about The Round Up, we’re able to revaluate our opinions if you’re able to make a good enough point!
