Huge disappointment

Rating: 6/10 (7 October 2006)

"The Departed" is being hailed in some circles as Martin Scorsese's return to a genre he knows like the back of his hand -- the gritty crime drama. And to be fair, there are moments of grit in the film. The problem is they are just that -- moments. Nothing ever builds to any tangible feeling of dread. The film's effect (if it has any at all) dissipates the moment the credits roll.
The acting is serviceable at best, but the much touted script by William Monahan barely gives the main stars anything to sink their teeth into, with the exception of Mark Wahlberg. He's the only actor who registers anything resembling a real, live human being. Leo DiCaprio and Matt Damon try their best, but when they're not spouting exposition they're floundering with dialogue that tries in vain to give their characters some color. (The session between Leo and shrink Vera Farmiga, for example, drags on to embarrassing length in a dismal effort to give Leo some shading.) And while most reviews praise Nicholson, he's more of a distraction than any kind of menacing character. For all his offbeat touches, his character never come across as dangerous; in fact, the longer the film goes on, the less interesting he is and the more goofy and unbelievable he becomes. (There were times I wondered if anyone could possibly follow him into a life of crime.) As for Scorsese, whatever gritty touch one might think the master would bring to a supposed throwback project is sorely missing. At 2 1/2 hours, the film has a noticeably slack pace, and many scenes are surprisingly flat, considering Marty's way around a camera. The only scene with any real tension is the rooftop scene between Costigan and Queenan. The photography, editing, and acting all combine in a perfect example of film suspense. Nothing else in the film is nearly as exciting.
And the less said about the ending the better. It feels like Marty is trying to channel Quentin, but it just gets more and more outrageous until all connection with reality is sapped away. Too bad. I wanted to love "The Departed", but I can barely say I liked it.