Movie Review: The Departed - Page 3

As the film unfolds, the suspense reaches a fever pitch that lasts right up to the end credits. The ending manages to be mostly satisfying while also leaving a bitter taste. Without going into too much detail, it feels somewhat like a cop-out and, without retaining any artistic ambiguity, fails to completely resolve several questions. It’s probably the film’s weakest segment, even if it had been slowly painting itself into that corner, or one like it, for much of the picture. Nevertheless, the two and a half hours of running time is never excessive, and, given the smart tone and dynamic pacing, I certainly can’t hold screenwriter William Monahan’s decision against him too strongly.

Martin Scorsese’s fingerprints are all over this film, from the early strains of “Gimme Shelter” to the numerous quick and violent deaths. At this point in his career, these directorial touches serve more as comforting reminders of Scorsese’s mastery than attention-grabbing distractions. He’s not repeating himself so much as showing that these kind of men and their actions are what interest him, or at least that this is the type of story he understands and at which he excels. While it may be impossible not to consider his previous work in the gangster genre when thinking about The Departed, the new film just builds on his impressive career and legacy. I never imagined my lofty expectations could possibly be met, yet somehow Scorsese managed to exceed them.

Article Author: clydefro

clydefro is an industrious young film lover. He uses his film journal as an outlet for his ever-growing need for Billy Wilder and Nicholas Ray.

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