King Martin conquers Boston

Rating: 9/10 (2 February 2011)

Martin Scorsese hits the mean streets again in his triumphant return to the crime genre that has justified his position as arguably the world's greatest living filmmaker. The Departed, a remake of the well-acclaimed Hong Kong grit-fest Infernal Affairs, follows the complicated lives of Billy Costigan (former criminal turned undercover cop), Colin Sullivan (current criminal who's weeded his way into the police force) and Frank Costello (the seemingly infallible Don who's array of memorable quotes have made The Departed the most naturally quotable film since Mean Girls).
This film is always contained in the mind and hands of Scorsese; we never forget that this is his project, and his influence is constantly felt throughout the film. The cinematography employed reminds us of some of the director's earliest projects, and that he certainly hasn't lost his touch. The trademark quick cuts, flashbacks and general detail offered to every aspect of every scene are all on display. The integration of dated yet actual footage of the Boston race riots with the commanding, satisfied voice of Jack Nicholson's Costello creates one of the most engaging opening scenes in recent film history.
Frank Costello reminisces about 'years agowhen we had the church' and that, even today, 'no-one gives it to you, you have to take it' all to the tune of Gimme Shelter, a song that has largely defined all Scorcesean works post-Goodfellas.
But don't be fooled, this is not the stereotypical Don who can't believe business is no longer conducted the way it was in the old country. Flunking out of the Corleone School of Business, it appears that Frank controls every aspect of his universe with an iron fist and a silver tongue, until his own flaws come to the forefront in a denouement scene that could be seen as uncharacteristically cliché, if it weren't so masterfully acted out in front of us.
For all intents, the acting, in its purest form, is the strongest suit of The Departed. Essentially an ensemble film, Dicaprio and Damon exceed expectations while Crazy Jack adopts his most blatantly villainous role since The Shining. Marky Mark is delightfully hateable and the rest of his Funky Bunch (Sheen, Baldwin and Farmiga) make themselves known as well. One of my film-osophies is that one can distinguish a good director from a great one on how they apply a comic-relief character within the plot of their film. Baldwin's portrayal of Ellerby is witty, used sparingly (a crucial quality) and has a genuine respect and passion for his work within the force, giving him a somewhat larger scope for character development than just being the laugh generator in what is otherwise a very serious film.
While The Departed goes against the mould of earlier Scorsese dramas (which typically focused on the goings-on around a single crucial protagonist), it does retain the fact that each primary character has very obvious flaws that will be inevitably extracted and exploited as the film progresses. I find this to be not only a treat to watch unravel from a creative perspective, but also the central message of the film: humans, by their very condition, are morally flawed, and that the consequences of their actions upon society have greater reaches than the effect of those consequences on any one person.
If there was to be any criticism imposed upon this film, it is that the intended plot controls the characters, rather than the character(s) dictating where the story is going. This might need to be made a little clearer. In films such as Taxi Driver and Raging Bull, the story does not go anywhere unless Travis or Jake respectively choose to steer it in that direction. With The Departed, the characters merely serve as a vehicle for getting parts of the story from A to B, or to connect the plot in a plausible manner, and several scenes towards the conclusion seem somewhat too convenient for a film that has a lot to say about the implications humans have on the world around them.
That said, this remains a highly enjoyable film, but one that benefits infinitely from multiple viewings. After eventually deciphering who dies, where they die, and why they died in your first sitting, it is advisable that you re-watch the film. This allows you to delve very deeply into the persona of each major character and gain a subsequent understanding and appreciation of one of the best examples of ensemble cast filmmaking in the history of dramatic cinema.
*There's nothing I love more than a bit of feedback, good or bad. So drop me a line on jnatsis@iprimus.com.au and let me know what you thought of my review.*