the departed is the latest martin scorsese film starring leonardo dicaprio

8/3/2019 The Departed is the Latest Martin Scorsese Film Starring Leonardo DiCaprio

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The Departed is the latest Martin Scorsese film starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Matt Damon, and

Jack Nicholson. The story takes place in Boston, where the state police force is waging war on

organized crime. Young undercover cop Billy Costigan Leonardo DiCaprio is assigned to infiltrate

the mob syndicate run by gangland chief Costello Jack Nicholson. While Billy is quickly gaining

Costellos confidence, Colin Sullivan Matt Damon, a hardened young criminal who hasinfiltrated the police department as an informer for the syndicate, is rising to a position of

power in the Special Investigation Unit. Each man becomes deeply consumed by his double life,

gathering information about the plans and counter-plans of the operations he has penetrated.

But when it becomes clear to both the gangsters and the police that there is a mole in their

midst, Billy and Colin are suddenly in danger of being caught and exposed to the enemy and

each must race to uncover the identity of the other man in time to save himself.

The Departedis a 2006 American crimethriller film, fashioned as a remake of the 2002 HongKong filmInfernal Affairs.

[2]The film was directed by Martin Scorsese and written by William

Monahan. LikeInfernal Affairs before it, The Departedis noted for its star-studded cast,

including Leonardo DiCaprio, Matt Damon, Jack Nicholson, Mark Wahlberg, Martin Sheen, RayWinstone, Vera Farmiga, Anthony Anderson and Alec Baldwin.

It won several awards, including Oscars at the 79th Academy Awards; Best Picture, Best

Director(Scorsese), Best Adapted Screenplay and Best Film Editing. Wahlberg was nominatedforBest Supporting Actorbut lost to Alan Arkin for his role inLittle Miss Sunshine.

The film takes place in Boston, Massachusetts, where Irish Mob boss Francis "Frank" Costello

plants Colin Sullivan as an informant within the Massachusetts State Police. Simultaneously, thepolice assign undercover cop William "Billy" Costigan to infiltrate Costello's crew. When bothsides realize the situation, each man attempts to discover the other's true identity before his own

cover is blown.

Plot

Colin Sullivan (Damon) is introduced to organized crime by Irish mobster Frank Costello

(Nicholson) in the Irish neighborhood ofSouth Boston. Costello trains him to become a moleinside the Massachusetts State Police. Sullivan is accepted into the Special Investigations Unit,

which focuses on organized crime. Before he graduates from thepolice academy, Billy Costigan(DiCaprio) is asked by Captain Queenan (Sheen) and Staff Sergeant Dignam (Wahlberg) to go

undercover, as his family ties to organized crime make him a perfect infiltrator. He drops out ofthe academy and does time in prison on a fake assault charge to increase his credibility.

As both infiltrate their respective organizations, Sullivan begins a romance with psychiatrist

Madolyn Madden (Farmiga). Costigan sees her for his probation and also develops a relationshipwith her. After Costello escapes a sting operation, both moles become aware of the other's


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existence. Sullivan is told to find the "rat" and asks Costello for information to determine who isthe informer within his crew. Costigan follows Costello into a movie theater where Costello

gives Sullivan an envelope. Costigan then chases Sullivan through Chinatown. When it is over,neither man knows the other's identity. Sullivan has Queenan tailed to a meeting with Costigan.

Costello's men go in and Queenan is killed. When they exit, Costigan pretends he has come to

join them. Later, Costello's henchman, Fitzgibbons (O'Hara), reveals that Delahunt, a crewmember, was an undercover cop.

Using Queenan's phone, Sullivan reaches Costigan, who refuses to abort his mission. Sullivanlearns of Costello's role as an informant for the FBI from Queenan's diary, causing him to worry

about his identity being revealed. With Costigan's help, Costello is traced to a cocaine drop-off,where a gunfight erupts between his crew and police, resulting in most of the crew being killed.

Costello, confronted by Sullivan, admits he is an occasional FBI informant. Sullivan then shootshim multiple times. With Costello dead, Sullivan is applauded the next day by everyone on the

force. In good faith, Costigan comes to him for restoration of his true identity, but notices anenvelope containing details of Costello's men on Sullivan's desk and flees. Knowing he has been

found out, Sullivan erases all records of Costigan from the police computer system.

Madolyn tells Sullivan that she is pregnant, but does not reveal who the father is. Later, shediscovers a package from Costigan containing a CD with recordings of Costello's conversations

with Sullivan. Sullivan walks in as she is listening and tries unsuccessfully to assuage hersuspicions. He contacts Costigan, who reveals that Costello recorded every conversation he had

with Sullivan. Costello's attorney left Costigan in possession of the recordings and he intends toimplicate Sullivan. They agree to meet at the building where Queenan died.

On the roof, Costigan catches Sullivan off-guard and hand-cuffs him. As Costigan had secretlyarranged, Officer Brown appears on the roof as well. Shocked, Brown draws his gun on

Costigan, who attempts to justify his actions by exposing Sullivan as the rat. Costigan asksBrown why Dignam did not accompany him, but Brown does not answer. Costigan leads

Sullivan to the elevator. When it reaches the ground floor, Costigan is shot in the head by OfficerBarrigan, who then shoots Brown and reveals to Sullivan that Costello had more than one mole

in the police. When Barrigan turns, Sullivan shoots him in the head. At police headquarters,Sullivan identifies Barrigan as the mole and has Costigan posthumously given the Medal of

Merit.

At Costigan's funeral, Sullivan and Madolyn stand at the grave. Sullivan attempts to talk to her,but she ignores him. Later, Sullivan enters his apartment, where Dignam, wearing hospital

footies and surgical gloves, is aiming a silenced pistol at him. Dignam shoots Sullivan in thetemple and exits the apartment.

Film critic Stanley Kauffmann describes a major theme ofThe Departedas one of the oldest indramathe concept ofidentityand how it "affects one's actions, emotions, self-assurance and

even dreams."[3]

The father-son relationship is a motif throughout the film. Costello acts as a father figure to bothSullivan and Costigan while Queenan acts as Costello's foil in the role of father-figure presenting


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both sides of the Irish-American father archetype.[4]

Sullivan refers to Costello as 'Dad' wheneverhe calls him to inform him of Police activities.

[edit] Reception

The Departedwas highly anticipated, and was released on October 6, 2006 to universal acclaim.The film is one of the highest-rated wide release films of 2006 on Rotten Tomatoes at 93%.

[5]

Entertainment Weekly put it on its end-of-the-decade, "best-of" list, saying, "If they're lucky,

directors make one classic film in their career. Martin Scorsese has one per decade (Taxi Driverin the '70s,Raging Bullin the '80s, Goodfellas in the '90s). His 2006 Irish Mafia masterpiece

kept the streak alive."[6]

Online critic James Berardinelli awarded the film four stars out of four, praising it as "anAmerican epic tragedy." He went on to compare the film favorably to the onslaught of banality

offered by American studios in recent years. "The movies have been in the doldrums lately. The

Departedis a much needed tonic," he wrote. He went on to claim that the film deserves to beranked alongside Scorsese's past successes, including Taxi Driver,Raging Bulland Goodfellas.[7]

Andrew Lau, the co-director ofInfernal Affairs, who was interviewed by Hong Kong newspaper

Apple Daily, said, "Of course I think the version I made is better, but the Hollywood version ispretty good too. [Scorsese] made the Hollywood version more attuned to American culture."

Andy Lau[8]

, one of the main actors inInfernal Affairs, when asked how the movie compares tothe original, said, "The Departedwas too long and it felt as if Hollywood had combined all three

Infernal Affairs movies together."[9]

Lau pointed out that the remake featured some of the"golden quotes" of the original but did have much more swearing. He ultimately rated The

Departed8/10 and said that the Hollywood remake is worth a view, though "the effect of

combining the two female characters in the [later film] into one isn't as good as in the original,"according to Lau's spokeswoman Alice Tam.

[10]

[edit] Top ten lists

DiCaprio plays Costigan, an undercover cop who has infiltrated an Irish crime syndicate headed

by one Frank Costello (Nicholson). While the cops think they're finally getting a hold of Costello

and building a case, little do they know that Costello has his own mole within the police force: ahigher-up new recruit, Colin Sullivan (Damon). It becomes a battle of wits between these two;

one cop pretending to be a mobster and one mobster pretending to be a cop. Neither knows theother's identity and each is always one step ahead of the other. It's cinematic suspense at its

finest.

The performances all around are terrific. Nicholson steals every scene he's in and is totallyenjoyable to watch; even when he's torturing someone to death. DiCaprio's heartfelt passion for

his role is very evident as he brings super amounts of emotion and depth to every scene (as healways does). Damon's character is a stiff, pompous son of a bitch that you just know you can't

trust. He's brilliant and devious and it will get you frustrated every time you see him get theupper hand over somebody.


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The side characters all work well too:Martin Sheen, Mark Wahlberg and most notably

of the supporting cast, Alec Baldwin. He playsthe asshole captain that although he's a good

guy, you just love to hate him. Relative new

comer Vera Farmiga (Running Scared) plays thelove interest in the movie. Nothing special here,but she works and will probably have a decent

carreer. Some of the actors do have a bit of atough time convincing me of their Irish and/or

Boston accents, but their characters are soenjoyable on all other fronts, that it's hardly

noticeable or even important.

One thing I love about Marty's movies is his lack of fear of anything. He's not afraid to uselanguage that real people use. These Irish mobsters occasionally call people faggots and niggers.

That's the way they talk and Scorsese isn't afraid to let that fly right into his lens and onto thescreen. The aforementioned Baldwin is one of these characters that just let's it all hang out.

Besides the language is Scorsese's obvious use of blood and killing in his films. The

Departedis no different. The brutality in this film is nothing to scoff at and may make you jumpin your seat on more than one occasion. It's part of what makes the film so gripping. Some of it is

also, as I realize I'm becoming my father, unnecessary.

On a personal note, the extremely lame version of Pink Floyd's masterpiece, "Comfortably

Numb," was used during an extensive sequence about halfway through the movie. This reallypissed me off. What is this garbage? It's a great song and the real thing should've been used. Not

this.... whatever it is crap you can hear in the trailer (below).

A nitpicking criticism that most people might not notice is the atrocious editing in this movie.It's so bad that I can't help but think it's intentional. The camera will switch shots from one

character to another while they're having a conversation. The character that was previously onscreen can now be seen in a completely different position and/or holding something they weren't

holding an instant ago. This is a small but noticeable problem that just drove me nuts.Espescially in the first 45 minutes or so of the movie (update: The Departedwins best editing at

the Oscars).

My only other problem with the movie was the cop out (no pun intended) ending. I hated it.I'm not going to give it away, but the last 30 seconds of the movie ruined the greatness that was

the previous 2 1/2 hours. It's the only thing keeping me from giving this movie 5 stars. I wishthere had been something far more creative and alas, there was not.

Scorsese fans will be happy with the finished product; though I think Marty will lose out onan Oscar once again this year(update: The Departedwins best director and picture at the Oscars

= ridiculous). Great performances and an amazingly simple yet entertaining and suspensefulstory will keep you entertained and it is most definitely worth the ten bucks. I just wish that the


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ending could've held something a bit more clever. I would've expected more from someone astalented as Martin Scorsese.

the departed is the latest martin scorsese film starring leonardo dicaprio

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