Average Crime Epic

Rating: 5/10 (15 February 2007)

I really wanted to like this movie. It had so much hype, nominations for several academy awards and a great cast. Not to mention a great director. But I found this film to be very average. Dicaprio is not very believable as a mole and his character development seems rushed and routine. Wahlberg was good but I don't think his performance warrants an academy nomination. I actually thought Damon gave the best performance here. And Nicholson is chewing the scenery a little. I compare this to goodfellas and goodfellas had a very authentic feel to it. The characters were more fleshed out, real and believable. Dicaprio is just kinda like hey Im undercover, Im posing as a hoodlum, this is my whole life. I wanted to know more. We didn't see him really bond with the crew or really earn their trust at any point other than getting hit with a shoe on his bad hand. Here the characters are a more two dimensional. And at the end everything seems wrapped up too quickly. The elevator shootout scene was almost laughable the way people kept walking in and getting shot. And where the hell was Dingham. He was told to show up at the rooftop. No real explanation why he didn't. And why would he quit his job to protect Costigan but not find some way to get him out? If he cared that much he would have got him out or let him know he is in trouble and his cover is about to be lifted. Especially after his partner got thrown off a rooftop. And why the hell didn't costigan just meet with dingham and turn over his evidence to him and go from there. The reason to meet on the rooftop was to get his life back? That was a little idiotic. Overall I sadly give this a 5. Knowing in my mind this could have been a perfect 10