Continuity Problems, Etc.

Rating: 8/10 (24 November 2006)

I liked this movie a great deal, but there were continuity problems that really annoyed me. For example:
The scene where Madolyn (Vera Farmiga) is moving into Colin's (Matt Damon's) condo. He pulls a picture of her (as a child) out of the box. They talk about it, then he says it's going to hang in the bedroom - and takes it in there - presumably to hang it. Later in the film, Billy (Leonardo DiCaprio) comes to Madolyn's apartment where there are still boxes of stuff being readied for her move - one can only assume she needed to make multiple trips. Billy and Madolyn talking and he pulls a picture from one of the boxes and comments on it. But it's the same picture that has already been moved into Colin's condo!
Also, there's a scene where Billy gives Madolyn a package with instructions on what to do with it if he is killed. You never hear anything more about it. The contents of the package are never revealed, but it's obvious it's something that will clear Billy and divulge who the "rats" are. However, since there's never any mention of it after that, it seems totally unnecessary to the film - more filler than anything else.
I also have a problem with the ending (this is not a spoiler). The appearance of a rat on the balcony was the hokiest thing I ever saw. I can't believe Scorsese would stoop so low. What the Hell was he thinking?!!