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Martin Scorsese is an American legend. A visionary artist born in Queens, New York, he has made many of the greatest films of the late 20th century. His 2006 film The Departed is another stroke of genius, and while not as revolutionary as his own Goodfellas or Taxi Driver, The Departed is still one of the greatest movies of the decade in its own right. Telling a story of crime, betrayal, lies and deceit, Scorsese directs with a patient understanding of crime cinema, isolating his film from others and giving it the unique Scorsese touch.
The film opens with a narration by Frank Costello (Jack Nicholson) over videos of Boston, showing the history of violence and crime the city has faced for years, and played to the Rolling Stones’ “Gimme Shelter”. This voice-over sets the tone for the film, and introduces us to Costello’s dark character. In a scene that would feel right at home alongside other Scorsese classics, Frank Costello enters a diner and pays for a young boy named Colin Sullivan’s groceries. As the local crime lord, Costello recruits Sullivan and we hear his lessons to the boy on a man’s choices in life, about the church, about crime, and about loyalty. “When I was your age, they used to say ‘you could become cops, or criminals’. What I’m sayin’ to you is this: when you’re facing a loaded gun- what’s the difference?”
Martin Scorsese is an American legend. A visionary artist born in Queens, New York, he has made many of the greatest films of the late 20th century. His 2006 film The Departed is another stroke of genius, and while not as revolutionary as his own Goodfellas or Taxi Driver, The Departed is still one of the greatest movies of the decade in its own right. Telling a story of crime, betrayal, lies and deceit, Scorsese directs with a patient understanding of crime cinema, isolating his film from others and giving it the unique Scorsese touch.
The film opens with a narration by Frank Costello (Jack Nicholson) over videos of Boston, showing the history of violence and crime the city has faced for years, and played to the Rolling Stones’ “Gimme Shelter”. This voice-over sets the tone for the film, and introduces us to Costello’s dark character. In a scene that would feel right at home alongside other Scorsese classics, Frank Costello enters a diner and pays for a young boy named Colin Sullivan’s groceries. As the local crime lord, Costello recruits Sullivan and we hear his lessons to the boy on a man’s choices in life, about the church, about crime, and about loyalty. “When I was your age, they used to say ‘you could become cops, or criminals’. What I’m sayin’ to you is this: when you’re facing a loaded gun- what’s the difference?”
Sullivan grows up to be a policeman (now played by Matt Damon). He makes his way into the special investigations unit of the police force, and leaks tips to Costello that help him avoid arrest. Around the same time, Billy Costigan (Leonardo DiCaprio) graduates the police academy and applies for the special investigations unit. Turned down because his father was from the Southie Projects, Captain Queenan (Martin Sheen) and Staff Sergeant Dignam (Mark Wahlberg) assign Costigan to a secret project. He is sent to prison and slowly joins Costello’s organization. Reporting only to Queenan and Dignam, Costigan is on thin ice, if his cover is blown Costello will murder him and the police will act like he never existed.
Sullivan and Costigan then become a part of a relationship neither of them are even aware of. Costello becomes aware of a rat in his crew, and the police hire Sullivan to find the mole in the special investigations unit. As the two men work to discover each other, they spin around and round in a web of deceit until a final confrontation. Ironically, the two men are also both romantically involved with the same psychologist (Vera Farmiga).
Sullivan and Costigan then become a part of a relationship neither of them are even aware of. Costello becomes aware of a rat in his crew, and the police hire Sullivan to find the mole in the special investigations unit. As the two men work to discover each other, they spin around and round in a web of deceit until a final confrontation. Ironically, the two men are also both romantically involved with the same psychologist (Vera Farmiga).
Frank Costello becomes increasingly weary as he searches for a rat in his organization. Jack Nicholson personifies the deranged anxiety perfectly, bringing fear into both Costigan and the audience. Damon and DiCaprio are both strong lead actors, both capable of the emotional understanding of a role, although DiCaprio shows a little deeper depth of emotion, his character’s issues being a slightly more pressing issue in the film.
Martin Scorsese directs with such mastery over his craft, and The Departed is certainly no different. His selection of shots, his attention to the actors and to there expressions and emotionality, allow the performances to be elevated and the themes of the film to be carried across far better. The contrasting characters of Sullivan and Costigan are unique, as they each live lives which are opposite to their inner being. This is different than other protagonists of Scorsese films, yet at the same time is similar. While Henry Hill or Sam Rothstein both pursue lives in crime to explore who they are, the characters of The Departed follow opposite tracks through their lives. However, both Costigan and Sullivan experience the anxiety and inner conflict that is commonplace in a Scorsese picture.
Martin Scorsese directs with such mastery over his craft, and The Departed is certainly no different. His selection of shots, his attention to the actors and to there expressions and emotionality, allow the performances to be elevated and the themes of the film to be carried across far better. The contrasting characters of Sullivan and Costigan are unique, as they each live lives which are opposite to their inner being. This is different than other protagonists of Scorsese films, yet at the same time is similar. While Henry Hill or Sam Rothstein both pursue lives in crime to explore who they are, the characters of The Departed follow opposite tracks through their lives. However, both Costigan and Sullivan experience the anxiety and inner conflict that is commonplace in a Scorsese picture.
The unfolding of the story in The Departed brings up some intriguing questions about human nature, as each of the two main men begin to identify with the group they infiltrated. As the film progresses we are unsure who to side with, and the conflict of seeing good men do wrong, and vice versa, is both troubling and entertaining for viewers. The tension is built flawlessly, with each component fitting together smoothly to culminate in a grand finale and release of the tension. To conclude, The Departed continues Scorsese’s trend of making a masterpiece every century, and is a tremendously involving and terrifically made film.