Entertaining, But not the Best Scorsese film

Rating: 6/10 (31 October 2007)

Martin Scorsese is at it again with his "Gangster-Mafia-Shoot-em up" style movie plots. The departed is no different; the location is a mirror image of everyday Boston MA. Two recently graduated officers of the State Police are sent in two totally different sides of the police force: Colin Sullivan (Matt Damon) was instantly promoted as an investigator and William Costigan (Leonardo DiCaprio) was sent undercover to work for and Irish Mob boss Frank Costello (Jack Nicholson). Both Costigan and Sullivan try to reveal the identity of the other "rat". The feel in the beginning of the movie started off slow and it felt as if some of the scenes should have been deleted because it didn't tie into the real plot of the movie. For example, the triangle between Sullivan,Costigan, and the Psychologist: Madolyn Madden (Vera Farmiga), it really had nothing to do with the plot other than adding the Hollywood effect using sex, lies, and betrayal. There were constant subplots until the story seemed like it could have went in many different directions. However what was significant about this movie is how all the characters tied to each other. For example, SSgt. Dignam (Mark Wahlberg) is pretty much a static character throughout the whole movie however at the end of the movie is the last one standing to get revenge for his partner Capt. Oliver Queenan (Martin Sheen) who had been killed all because Sullivan wanted to save his identity. On another good note the acting from Walhberg, Nicholson, DiCaprio, and Damon was to say the least, superior the characters they conveyed were on point and I really felt the intensity of their personalities. Martin Scorsese older films like Gangs of New York, Goodfellas, and taxi driver, I would have to say, are much better than The Departed mainly because they aren't made up with a bunch of Hollywood effects, they are just downright Drama Filled Crime movies. I would also say The departed isn't the best remake of Internal Affairs although it keeps the basic structure of the movie. Overall the movie was good and I enjoyed many parts of it and it really displays Martin Scorsese's interest in gangster-like films.