The Departed

The Departed is Martin Scorcese's latest film and a remake of the critically acclaimed Hong Kong classic Infernal Affairs. In my humble opinion Scorcese hasn't made a decent film since 1995s Casino and ten years without a decent flick is bad reputation to get especially after the disastrous Gangs of New York. Whilst The Departed goes some way to fixing Scorcese's merit, it proves that he's a one trick horse in that in the last twenty years all his best work is based on and about the mob.

The Departed is set in Boston where the police are waging a crack down on the Irish mob led by Jack Nicolson who I haven't seen act as good in years because he's not playing a parody of himself. It begins in the 1970's where a young Matt Damon becomes influenced by Nicolsons power and we rejoin them in the present day when Damon leaves the academy as a police officer at the same time as Leonardo DiCaprio. The difference between the two is paramount to the plot as Damons character has an impeccable family past despite being under Nicolsons wing and rises through the ranks as a mob mole. DiCaprio on the other hand has a shady family history and gets a rough time from his bosses and is generally forced into becoming a cop mole in the mob.

The film revolves around how each character deals with their past problems and present predicaments and the interaction between each others sphere of influence leading to an enivitable clash of interests and ensuing personnal dilemma of professional persuit or self-preservation.

It's an interesting film to watch as each character becomes more involved in their chosen role and the story becomes more involved and complex. However, what lets the film down is the last 10-15 minutes as Scorcese attempts to wind the film up and it becomes quite messy and unsatisfactory. Nevertheless it is an entertaining Scorcese movie worth catching in the cinema.

I would give The Departed 3.5 Irish gangsters out of 5