"The rat symbolizes obviousness!"
Considering Martin Scorsese's resume, how did he win Best Picture for The Departed (2006)? Partly as a make-up Oscar, partly because of a weak field (Little Miss Sunshine? The Queen?) - certainly not on its meager merits. Pedigree aside, this B-grade cops and robbers tale is thin gruel.Billy Costigan (Leonardo DiCaprio) washes out of the Massachusetts State Police and joins Frank Costello's (Jack Nicholson) South Boston crime syndicate. He's actually an informant, feeding information to Captain Queenan's (Martin Sheen) deep cover unit. Costigan's matched by Sergeant Colin Sullivan (Matt Damon), an Internal Affairs cop on Costello's payroll. The two moles work to ferret each other out, resulting in many double crosses and killings.
The Departed stretches a fun premise to the breaking point. Let's start with Scorsese's direction, far removed from his usual style. Scorsese trades his trademark hyper-violence for routine shootouts and action scenes, well-executed but ultimately banal. He splashes scenes with obvious meaning, like an x motif portending death, egregious slow motion (a policeman's death) and bathing Costello in red like a Hammer monster. Amusing though it is, it's an A list director playing below his level.
William Monahan's script blends the Hong Kong flick Infernal Affairs (2002) with Whitey Bulger's life story. This leads to annoying incongruities: Costello's an FBI informant like Bulger, but this has no importance except prolonging the movie. It's fun watching Costigan and Sullivan feel each other out through cell phones and treachery, allowing The Departed to maintain tension. It's less acceptable that Costello takes two-thirds of the runtime to suspect Costigan, or that the movie runs 30 minutes too long.
Ultimately, Scorsese can't reconcile his go-for-broke direction with his earnest, overdone storytelling. Increasingly burnt out by his mission, Costigan has at least half a personality. Sullivan's trapped in a love triangle with Costigan and a sexy psychiatrist (Vera Farmiga). Costello goes from credible gangster to cartoon ghoul, waving severed hands and dildos while cackling maniacally. This incongruity wears thin after 155 minutes. The final kill-off provides shock value but little satisfaction.
The Departed's leads coast on star power. Leonardo DiCaprio is one-note "intense," Matt Damon uncommonly flat, Vera Farmiga a bland love interest. Mark Wahlberg's profane Sergeant is entertaining, if useless; Ray Winstone, Alec Baldwin and Martin Sheen have solid supporting roles. But Jack Nicholson nearly sinks the film on his own, playing Costello like The Joker without makeup.
The 2000s weren't Martin Scorsese's best decade. After the overachieving Gangs of New York and The Aviator tanked, winning Oscars for The Departed must have seemed awkward consolation. Undemanding entertainment, sure. But Best Picture winner? Gimme a break.
