The Departed

No spoilers here, so read freely.

Maybe because I had no expectations, Martin Scorsese's new film The Departed did not disappoint me; in fact, I haven't felt so exhilarated by his work since Raging Bull. After sitting through bombs like Cape Fear and Bringing Out the Dead, and tepid achievements like Gangs of New York and The Aviator, I'd resigned myself to the fact that, like his contemporary Francis Ford Coppola, good ol' Marty's good ol' days were all behind him. Any director who could get such howlingly bad performances out of two actors as talented as Daniel Day-Lewis and Leonardo DiCaprio, as he did in GONY, does not inspire confidence.

However, everyone in The Departed is operating on all cylinders, from Scorsese and Thelma Schoonmaker to the scriptwriter to the entire cast. Jack Nicholson has been doing an impersonation of himself for decades now (he can't hold a candle to Al Pacino in that department, however. Pacino doing his Pacino impersonation in every movie ranks right up there with the great Saturday Night Live impersonations—Phil Hartman doing Bill Clinton, Dana Carvey doing George Bush I, Mick Jagger doing Keith Richards). But as over the top as he is, Nicholson is oddly under control here compared to what I'd expected. His rat impersonation alone makes it all worthwhile. But, really, Ray Winstone should have played Frank Costello, except he's too young. Now THAT is a commanding, scary, yet oddly sympathetic screen presence. I can't take my eyes off him.

Leonardo di Caprio, on this day you become a man. I had such high hopes for you back in the Gilbert Grape/This Boy's Life era, and you've finally come into your own. I moderately dislike Matt Damon in general, but this is the role he was born to play (and thank gawd his fellow Bostonian Ben Affleck is nowhere in sight—further proof of Scorsese's genius, as a lesser director would probably consider him an obvious choice for a Boston ensemble flick). The other Bostonian who IS here, happily, is Mark Wahlberg, displaying enormous screen presence and upstaging everyone. Who knew? Of course the script gives him all the best lines, but he delivers them zestily. Alec Baldwin lets you see what Kim Basinger is up against in their neverending little war.

I'm not sure this movie has enough substance to endure over the long haul. Some reviewers have tried to see it as a metaphor for the current state of the world. But, really, the idea that cops and criminals are more alike than not is no revelation, and the perceived message about terrorists and governments, etc., is a bit precious. It continues Scorsese's examination of working-class masculinity (can you call these guys working class?). but doesn't really add anything to it. Even if this movie is nothing more than a joyride (albeit a dark, violent one), it's one of the best-written, most enjoyable joyrides in a very long time. Scorsese and his crew's "astonishing cinematic technique" is probaby the real star here, and for the first time in a long time it's a pleasure rather than a distraction.