More style than substance

Rating: 6/10 (7 March 2007)

Had The Departed been released in, say, 1986, it would have been stylish, edgy, and intense. But in 2006 it comes across as more an homage to the violent organized crime film genre (e.g., LA Confidential, Goodfellas, Traffic) than a stand-alone original work. After his many decades of solid direction, it was kind of the Academy of Motion Picture Artists to finally bestow the Best Director Award on Martin Scorcese for The Departed, although his 1990 effort, Goodfellas, was tighter, more innovative, and overall a better film.
In The Departed Scorcese is assisted by an A-list cast of male actors: Jack Nicholson, Matt Damon, and Leonardo DiCaprio. DiCaprio and Damon deliver solid performances, although Damon's portrayal of the ethically flawed man (a la The Good Shepherd, Syriana) is becoming almost type-casting for him. Nicholson is big box office and always amusing to watch, but similar to the big stars of old Hollywood (e.g., John Wayne) he is more Jack Nicholson than any character he portrays, and not a truly great actor. In The Departed his on-again, off-again Boston accent was distracting. It also seemed that Jack's "screen persona" was being capitalized upon, with the florid torrent of obscenities and outrageous facial expressions his character displayed for the duration of the film.
Conspicuously absent were A-list female actors, which also became distracting as the love triangle evolved between Damon, DiCaprio, and the female lead, Vera Farmiga. The viewer repeatedly wondered "who the heck is that actress?" The most solid and impressive performances were delivered by the supporting cast, notably Alec Baldwin (who is becoming the most venerable character actor of our generation); Martin Sheen (sort of the Hal Holbrook of our time, oft cast as "the man of integrity"); Mark Wahlberg (whose somewhat limited but important role was delivered with more energy and sincerity than any of the three principal players); and Ray Winstone, whose Mr. French was 100% on the money.
The Boston setting is to die for, and the apparently unlimited budget allowed for elaborate sets, location shots, and special effects (shootouts and the like), so the film is visually appealing. The soundtrack weaves in and out with contemporary and traditional music, which feels stylish and modern, if not especially innovative. Sadly, the scripting was a bit flat, and many key scenes plodded along without evoking a lot of tension. The story itself was entirely predictable, with the exception of the "twist" ending, wherein another member of Nicholson's organization emerges unexpectedly as one of the cops who's been there all along, but only makes himself know at the very end of the film. This kind of writing is dismaying; it defies continuity, is thrown in merely for shock value, and cheapens the integrity of the entire story. It confirmed the sense of ultimate disappointment this viewer got from this film.
All that being said, IF you are in the mood for a violent cops and robbers film, it is worth the cost of a rental. I am not sure what female viewers would think of the film (having heard from only two, who didn't enjoy it), but my impression is that The Departed is best viewed with some male friends, or alone with a six pack.