10-09-06, 9:02 am
THEY say that there is no such thing as a surefire success in Hollywood. However, if you have got Scorsese as your director, Leonardo DiCaprio, Matt Damon and Jack Nicholson as your lead stars and a script based on a previously successful film, then you are a long way down the track to a box office success.
The Departed is based on the successful Hong Kong thriller Infernal Affairs and the plot is relatively simple.
Boston mob boss Frank Costello (Jack Nicholson) has infiltrated the state police Organised Crime Investigation Unit with one of his own people (Damon) to make sure that he stays one step ahead of the police.
At the same time, the investigation unit has recruited Billy (DiCaprio) straight out of police academy and persuaded him to go undercover.
This involves getting him chucked out of the police force and into jail. From there, he manages to infiltrate Costello's gang.
Now, it's a life-and-death race to see which side can uncover their mole first.
Nicholson is thankfully reined in for most of the film, but he is still over the top as the ageing boss who has seen it all and lives by the motto 'no-one gives it to you - you have to take it.'
DiCaprio, who last linked up with Scorsese in The Aviator, and Damon are up to the task of playing characters under increasing pressure where one slip-up would mean DiCaprio's death or a lengthy prison sentence for Damon.
Mark Wahlberg and Martin Sheen spar and bicker excellently as the two cops running DiCaprio while Alex Baldwin as Ellerby, a foul-mouthed police officer, proves again why any film with him in it is worth watching.
Ray Winstone as Mr French, Costello's trusted lieutenant, reprises his well-worked menacing gangster routine.
At 150 minutes, The Departed is too long and the subplot involving a female psychologist who becomes involved with both Damon and Dicaprio is unnecessary, although its exclusion would mean that there is almost no female presence.
Inevitably, a Scorsese film about a crime boss will invite comparisons with Goodfellas and Casino. In truth, it isn't as good as either, but that shouldn't put you off seeing this film.
From Morning Star
