Not only did the writers come up with a plausible story line but they couldn’t have assigned a better acting crew for the characters than the men they choose. Starring actors Leonardo DiCaprio, Jack Nicholson, Matt Damon, Mark Wahlberg and damsel Vera Farmiga all play astonishing roles, really adding a polishing touch to the film. What kind of action movie wouldn’t have a good guy and a bad buy? Now that just wouldnt be American. Leonardo Decaprio and Matt Damon do a great job filling these two roles. Leonardo DeCaprio plays one of the main acts as Billy.
Billy his completed the Massachusetts State Police academy and is given the opportunity of an interview with the Massachusetts State p. D. , little did he know this was going to lead him to life threatening situations and eventually be the death of him. During the interview Billy is antagonized about his childhood and teenage years, being questioned if he were in this business to serve the public, or to be an insider for a group of family rooted Irish mobsters. Billy eventually agrees to a position as an undercover agent, working to bring down the P. D’s number ne mo kingpin Frank Costello and the rest of his crew.
Then there’s Matt Damon who plays a very deceiving role as a heroic police agent known as detective Collin Sullivan. Collin Sullivan has also gone through an interview with the Massachusetts State Police. Unaware that Mr. Sullivan is their prime man Frank Costello’s insider, they offer him a position as a detective with the agency. Little do they know this is promoting Costello and his crime while informant Billy is trying to bring him down. The two men never cross paths and both have no idea who the other is. Throughout the movie these two men are assigned by their commanders to find out who the other is.
This helps bring more suspense to the viewer because they are the only one who know the truth about everyone. An action movie just could not be an action movie without back to back violence and plenty of guns keeping the viewer tied to the movie waiting to see what is going to happen next. This film is definitely packed with plenty of blood and gore. The director could not have chosen a better actor for the character of hard-nosed, loose cannon, mob leader Frank Costello than Jack Nicholson. Nicholson gets the credit for most of the hardcore crime and action in this film.
Costello is a ruthless lunatic feared by everyone except a few of the FBI detectives that are trying to bring him down. The first of many of these gory scenes Costello is sitting at his TABLE with undercover informant Billy which he is unaware of and trusts. Mr. Costello is sitting at the TABLE and receives a bagged package, he opens it pulling out a bloody bag with a man’s’ severed hand inside. He proceeds to pull the man’s hand out and removes the wedding band from his finger telling is assistant to mail it to the dead man’s wife with some flowers.
Not only is that just outright disgusting the was Nicholson facial expression and the way is emotionless about it like it happens all the time makes the viewer that much more moved by it. At this point the viewer realizes how crude and gruesome Costello really is. The graphic reality of this movie is one of the biggest reasons this is such a legendary action film. Violent realistic scenes, such as the scene where Billy had detective Sullivan in handcuffs on the elevator about to reveal his big secret to the FBI exposing how he was really orking for Costello. Once they reach the bottom floor a drastic turn is about to happen.
As the door opens Billy is shot in the head immediately and detective Sullivan is then freed by another dirty cop who is also n the force working for Costello. The way Billy drops limp to the ground along with the timing of the splatter on the wall behind him makes the viewer truly believe that he been shot in the head and killed. The director puts a nice touch on the film adding the very good looking Vera Farmiga playing as damsel psychiatrist Madolyn. This is another reason The Departed is a successful film. What kind of movie isn’t better with a little extra twist of drama with a hint of suspense added to it.
A perfect example of this is one of the final scenes when Madolyn is at Billy’s funeral and she makes eye contact with detective Sullivan. Throughout the past few weeks of their relationship Collin has no idea that Madalyn has been having an affair with him with one of her clients. Unaware of their relationship he is not quite sure why she is there. This is where the more twisted not so up front suspense comes from. Madolyn had been ating detective Sullivan for the majority of the film, however about half way though, Madolyn become vulnerTABLE to undercover detective Billy one of her clients she has began meeting with.
She beings having an affair and this brings the viewer into the movie even more because they are the only one that the affair is going on. What draws the audience in even more is that the two men have such a connection one promoting Costello’s organized crime and the other working undercover trying to bring him to justice. Madolyn herself is even unaware of this until the end of the film. A few smaller things that support this film as being a successful action movie is its setting and the way the characters hold their accents. Old day Boston Massachusetts has gangster written all over it.
Back in the day Boston was known for its high rates of organized crime and involvement of mobs such as the Irish and Italians. The buildings and busy streets make it look as if they were actually in the city. Though there were a few slip ups and that is one of the only criticisms I will give this film, the actors did a great part with the heavy or hard Boston accent. This is where it was especially easy for Actor Mark Wahlberg since Boston Massachusetts is where he comes from. Character development is another key part of this movie that really drew the audience in.
During the movie only the view knew that detective Sullivan was working as a dirty cop actually being an insider for the Costello. But what really brought suspense to the TABLE and made your palms sweat, was being the only one knowing the actual ties between all the characters and how closely related they actually were. One of the most suspenseful scenes is when DiCaprio or Billy is in the ovie theatre waiting to see which corrupt trooper is the one meeting with Costello. The viewer is just waiting for Billy to catch detective Sullivan in the act.
Detective Sullivan realizes he is being followed and loses Billy. Throughout the movie each man tries to identify the other before there cover is blown, covering up their footsteps along the way. All in all this Movie was a great success, not only with critics but also with audiences. Anyone who enjoys a good ole’ action movie has no doubt heard of or has personally seen The Departed. This film has definitely left no critical criteria out and has onopolized on the on the important aspects tying everything together leaving the viewer thin king that this is someth ing that has actually happened in real life.
