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Jack Nicholson and Matt Damon |
Scorcese's mob rule
THE DEPARTED
Directed by Martin Scorcese
Certificate 18
THE last two times Martin Scorsese worked with Leonardo DiCaprio, the results were disastrous mish-mashes.
The Gangs Of New York was a story botched in such a manner that it created one of the most expensive, most tedious three hours I have ever had the displeasure to have to fidget through. It was truly awful. The only stars of the show were the sets, the recreation of New York way back when.
And then the Howard Hughes bio-pic, The Aviator, was not much better and ended badly – but at least it had a grounding in reality and had characters who revelled in wearing fine clothes.
But this has not put off the backers, and here we have the veteran director teaming up again with Leo. The results this time are much more pleasing.
Perhaps it is the pace of The Departed. You are swept along by fast cars and faster dialogue, given no time to digest the semblance of a plot.
And with Matt Damon and Jack Nicholson also starring, Alec Baldwin, Martin Sheen and Mark Wahlberg popping up, and it is apparent Scorsese has real quality to work with. Throw in Ray Winstone, revelling in the chance to play the tough guy, and Scorsese has lined up a cast that could hardly fail.
Nicholson is perfect as Frank Costello, the wizened old mobster. He looks like he has seen it all.
The story focuses round a plan by the Boston police to get rookie cop Billy Costigan (DiCaprio) to infiltrate the city’s main mob, run by Costello. But Costigan is immediately in danger. Colin Sullivan (Matt Damon) has signed up to the force to be a mole of his own – but working for Costello.
And Costello is absolutely, crazy, horrible, violent, uncaring and aware he is on borrowed time, making his actions more and more unhinged.
But perhaps DiCaprio’s character is the most intriguing. A straightforward policeman, forced into many compromising situations as he does his duty.
Maybe this means we shouldn’t bother with Scorsese unless it is a gangster tale. The script is great in places, almost always believable (unlike many gangster films where they tend to be too wise guy like, too jokey and littered with bad language).
And The Departed also manages to avoid the glitz of Scorsese films like Casino. This is not a glamourous gangster movie.
Perhaps the films only bad point is the ending: is gore always necessary?
Hyper violence does not seem to be a means to an end for the story teller, rather the end in itself. It sadly detracts from what is otherwise an excellent show. |
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