Thursday, 7 February 2013

THE DEPARTED; Carlisle's Final Word.



“I got this rat, this gnawing, cheese eating fuckin' rat and it brings up questions...”   
Frank Costello.



Script Logic; 2/2

Pace; 1/2

Acting; 2/2

Aesthetic; 1/2

Originality & Intention; 1/2

Final Score; 7/10



An American version of the Chinese crime thriller Infernal Affairs, oddly picked up by star director Martin Scorcesse (not anybody’s first guess to direct a remake).
Jack Nicholson steals every scene with a turn that is both a ‘tour de force’ as well as deliriously exaggerated. However, this film is not a one-horse-race, and  DiCaprio, Martin Sheen and Ray Winstone all manage to shine. Hell, even Mark Whalberg, who I’d previously given little thought to, commands attention.
It is worth pointing out at this point that anybody hoping for a ‘gangster flick’ will likely leave disappointed: The Departed is an actor’s piece that prioritises character moments over thrills. Not that I think that makes the film less enjoyable, but it certainly wasn’t the film I was expecting.

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