[critical] THE DEPARTED

In Boston, a struggle between the police on the underworld irish.

To put an end to the reign of the godfather Frank Costello, the police infiltrates his gang with a “blue” from the lower districts, Billy Costigan.

While Billy is working to gain the trust of the demon age, Colin Sullivan enters the police as members of the Special Investigations Unit, tasked to eliminate Costello. But Colin works in “submarine” and informs Costello of operations that goes against him.

May at any time be unmasked, Billy and Colin are forced to lead a double life which causes them to lose their bearings and their identity.

Traps and counter-attacks linked together until the day when each side realizes that it hosts a mole. A race against the clock is committed between the two men with a single objective : to discover the identity of the other under penalty of leaving the skin…

Author’s Note

[rating:10/10]

• Original title : The Departed

• Achievement : Martin Scorsese

• Screenplay : William Monahan

• Main actors : Leonardo DiCaprio, Matt Damon, Jack Nicholson, Mark Wahlberg, Martin Sheen, Alec Baldwin

• Country of origin : United States

• Output : November 29, 2006

• Duration : 2h30min

• Trailer :

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I had the idea (I’m not saying that it is good, far from it, it is rather bad even) of my introduction coming home from work. It was hot. But this is not what’s important. The essential point is the music I was listening to : Wet Sand Red Hot Chili Peppers. Beautiful song punctuated by a solo final simply orgasmic, I said, miming the solo by countless guttural sounds all the more vile as each other, to the thousandth replay, the force of this passage was intact. Or even more delicious. But I also told myself (in fact I said several things) that I was sad. But sad, not because I was listening to her, quite the contrary, but because I would have liked to find that moment where I heard it for the first time. I unfortunately have no idea of my feeling at the discovery. How had I felt this pleasure ? That to me was I said ? And for THE DEPARTED, it is the same. I’d like to see it again for the first time ! And what a force he exudes even in the twentieth time !

Because, yes, THE DEPARTED is one of those movies instantly cults, including the potential for enjoyment that is delivered to viewers does not wear out with time and countless viewings. It improves even. Yes, Martin Scorsese is a sommelier and we led her best vintage. So good, how to critique a masterpiece of the genre ? A simple “this is excellent at any point, do you want me to say ?” in criticism seems to me to be the most appropriate, but I’m afraid that our Editorial in’ the Head does not accept criticism of 13 words.

So let’s go there and, at random, let’s start with the actors. Leonardo DiCaprio, Mark Wahlberg, Matt Damon, Jack Nicholson, Martin Sheen, Alec Baldwin… in Short, what do you want me to say more ? No, but seriously, nothing to complain about. Everything is flawless. Everyone is in place and delivers a performance that is fair and controlled as possible. Special Mention to Leonardo DiCaprio who reached heights and becomes a monster of a game as the film progresses. Her tension, her anxiety and tension, are further in the progression of the plot and his game becomes more and more detailed and meticulous.

If DiCaprio delivers a powerful set, it is thanks to scenario seemingly simplistic but that turns out to be the final more deep than a simple story of undercover police : honor, justice, false pretences, relationship, respect… the extent of The ramifications of the story is broad and we offer a show police, criminal, and tragic, excellent for the genre. The mafia, guns, Ireland, everything is there.

And this history allows an in-depth study and deeply visceral of the man and his background. How far are you willing to go ? For what reasons ? That is what drives us to be what we are ? And above all, the question of boundaries : the boundary between good and evil, the boundary between justice and crime, the boundary between truth and falsehood, the boundary between appearances and loyalty… Everything is questioned and turned upside-down. Morally, the story takes us to flirt with these limitations and poses a few question. We are constantly on a wire and, as the scenario basic false pretenses, the story plays on the beliefs all make and takes to reverse any moral usual.

The story, it is also a city. Boston. Magnified here, it becomes a real character. It is she who transforms and engulfs the individuals. Each fate is intimately linked to the city. Without it, nobody would be where he is. It is this city that has shaped the destinies of the protagonists and allows them to carry out their activities, both in criminal law enforcement. Catalyst invisible but very much present, Boston is the clock that allows the story to move forward. The strength of the staging is to be able to integrate it in watermark, and indirectly the place unconsciously in the midst of all the storms and all situations.

The staging, exactly, because it’s time to talk about it, is a jewel of precision, lightness, speed, fluidity, whatever you want ! The movement is permanent, as the history. The bottom and the form then mate perfectly. The implementation of the action is quick, concise and effective. Even in the middle of the film, the progression of the story will follow the same pattern. Scorsese succeeds, of course, his move since the key times have the right to several minutes and then, all the talent of the director is sweating then giving the viewer a collection of scenes worked and inhabited by a footprint and a style second to none.

This staged suspension is raised by an acute sense of the use of music and sound. Moments frankly hard thanks to the Dropkick Murphys, the flow of the story seamlessly with the Rolling Stones, the time sentimental magnified by Comfortably Numb Pink Floyd… But Scorsese also knows how to use silence. And very well. The chosen moments (perfectly) where the music disappears, and only the sounds of the environment remain, and are then even stronger. The director leaves us, like the stars, alone with the noises of the surrounding environment. A technique giving then a real side frank and giving an additional power in certain scenes.

The control is so total, end-to-end, sequence in sequences. So I am not going to dwell more on this masterpiece. Everything is very well, then, why try to say it again and again ? I could turn round, now that I think, for this article, the repetition was my figure of speech most commonly used. So yes, it is an excellent movie. Point. A monument of the genre, a masterpiece of criminal, a great film noir, a very good police officer… In fact, just, if you haven’t seen it, watch it !