Ruttle's Reviews: The Archives

For those who haven't read them, or those who want to read them again, these are the archived copies of Ruttle's Reviews. It all started with Martin Scorsese's Oscar-winning 2006 film, "The Departed".

Dissecting "The Departed"

Welcome to a new feature making its debut in The Outlook. As an obsessed, over-analytical movie buff and budding filmmaker, I want to share with you my thoughts, opinions, and overall reviews of the best (and worst) that Hollywood has to offer. Through the latest titles to hit DVD to my own personal library, I hope this feature is helpful when the weekend comes, and you're looking for something to rent at your local video store to go along with that tub of popcorn and 1-gallon Coke. And so with that, please enjoy.

“The Departed” (2006)
Directed by: Martin Scorsese (Raging Bull, GoodFellas, Gangs of New York)
Starring: Jack Nicholson, Leonardo DiCaprio, Matt Damon
Running time: 151 minutes
Rut's Rating: 5/5

Think "GoodFellas" with a more-realistic edge. "The Sopranos" without the lasagna and cannoli. Scorsese's latest took home four Academy Awards, including the Best Direction statue that has eluded the filmmaker all these years.
"The Departed" is an American version of the 2002 Hong Kong thriller "Infernal Affairs". The film takes us to the crime-ridden underworld of Boston, owned and operated by Irish mob boss Frank Costello, played with welcoming intensity by the legendary Jack Nicholson. Costello ushers the viewer into his world, commenting through narration that when he was a kid, "they said we could either be cops or criminals. The question I ask is this; when you're facing a loaded gun, what's the difference?" These words seem to stay with you as the film progresses.
Meanwhile, Scorsese greatly balances the contrast between the film's two young stars. Leonardo DiCaprio plays Billy Costigan, a troubled young man fresh out of police training, who is assigned to go undercover to infiltrate Costello's gang. Having worked with Scorsese twice before this film, DiCaprio has displayed his skills incredibly over the past few years, showing that he's come a long way since "Titanic" and Teen Beat magazine. On the other side of the tracks, Matt Damon is Colin Sullivan, almost a son to Costello, who joins the ranks of the Boston Police Department on behalf of his "father". Damon has fun with the role, showing a darker side to his acting chops that we normally don't get to see. Personally, I think that both actors were robbed of Oscar nominations.
The universal theme of "The Departed" is deception. Who can you trust? Is everything as it seems? Nicholson, Damon and DiCaprio give us characters that are anything but one-dimensional; they're haunted, mysterious, and at war with their own personal demons.
With roles by Martin Sheen, Mark Wahlberg and Alec Baldwin rounding out the cast, as well as a unique and diverse soundtrack featuring the Rolling Stones and Van Morrison, Martin Scorsese has made a film that stays with you, and it only gets better with each viewing. After taking a break from his "bread and butter" crime sagas, Scorsese makes it hard for you to depart with "The Departed".