The Departed (2007, HD DVD)

I grew up in New England for the most part, in Newport, Rhode Island, so I am well familiar with Boston propensity for violence and organized crime mayhem. The fabled Irish gangs that infest Boston s seedier neighborhoods are also a (waning) fixture in Providence, the capitol of Rhode Island. But Boston provides the back-drop for the latest Martin Scorsese blood-soak drama The Departed, which won the Academy Award for Best Picture in 2007.

Story-line

Directed by the aforementioned Martin Scorsese (Goodfellas, The Age of Innocence, Gangs of New York), The Departed (2006) is a remake of the 2002 Hong Kong film Internal Affairs.

In this retelling infamous Irish Mob boss Francis "Frank" Costello portrayed by one Jack Nicholson (The Last Detail, The Postman Always Rings Twice, A Few Good Men) plants his prot g , career criminal Colin Sullivan portrayed by Matt Damon (Field of Dreams, Courage under Fire, Good Will Hunting) as an informant within the Massachusetts State Police Department. At the same time, the State Police order Billy Costigan, portrayed by Leonardo DiCaprio (Blood Diamond, The Aviator, Titanic), to infiltrate Costello's crew, going so far as to make the young men do time in the state prison as part of his cover. When either side of the game realizes that there is mole in their respective organizations, each man is ordered to discover the identity of the other informant before they are found out.

A plot twist not in the original film: a blond haired, blue-eyed police shrink Madolyn Madden (Vera Farmiga The Manchurian Candidate, Touching Evil) who hooks up romantically with both protagonists, and at the end of the film ends up pregnant, but by whom?

My Thoughts

The Departed is clearly one of Scorsese s best. The plot is thick with intrigue, twists, turns and plenty of violence. I have to admit that the language was a bit harsh; i.e. these guys cussed more than a drunken sailor on his best night. It s hard for me to believe that there can be that level of unprofessional, disrespectful demeanor in any effective organization.

However, beyond that The Departed is standard Scorsese fair; the movie concentrates heavily on family and betrayal, and what forms the construct of both. The lead characters (DiCaprio and Damon) are essentially loners, but they are linked to the world of Boston South-side (Southies) gangsters by blood ties. It s clear why one decided to become a Trooper, as the Mass. State Police refer to their officers, but the other is a mystery. Is it to divest himself of family ties, or it is a form of redemption that only he can understand?

Along the way each man is guilty of at least one betrayal, but whom or what are they betraying when one organization is seemingly as corrupt and self-serving as the other, and honor is a dirty word?

The end The Departed ramps up the body count in typical Scorsese fashion; i.e. with lots of blood and detachment, and a few surprises. All-n-all The Departed was an enjoyable film and well worth seeing a second or third time, you know to catch what you may have missed the first or second viewing.