The Departed is a mafia based drama film
which covers two sides of a coin by portraying the atmosphere in both camps;
the cops and the gangsters. Frank Costello is the kingpin of the Irish Mafia in
Boston. He is feared in the city and receives tribute from every small and big
business which helps him keep his reputation intact and run his side business
of drug peddling. He takes Colin Sullivan under his wing as a kid and trains
him to be an important asset for him. Colin eventually graduates from the police
academy and joins the Massachusetts State Police to become an informant to
Frank about how the police are running their investigations which helps Frank
stay away from their radar. On the other side of the tracks, Billy Costigan
also attempts to join the Massachusetts State Police on graduating from policy
academy. Unfortunately for him, his family history is riddled with the who’s
who of the city’s mafia which is known to his commanders. He is given the
option of becoming an undercover officer in the mafia to work as an informant
for the police about the mafia’s plans. Frank and the police both become
increasingly aware of informants in their ranks and both try to smoke them out.
The situation becomes grave for Colin and Billy as both try to keep their cover
while exposing the other.
The Departed is a great film directed by
Martin Scorsese from a screenplay written by William Monahan. This film which
was released in 2006 was based on a 2002 Hong Kong film called Infernal
Affairs. The Departed is a gem of a film which shows all sides of the coin of
law enforcement. It goes into depth for the three main characters and shows
their development as the story progresses with the police informant getting
unhinged, the mafia informant becoming increasingly paranoid and the head of
the mafia being calm and collected. It shrouds the character of Madolyn in
mystery, the psychiatrist who carries on relationships with both the informants
while being unaware of who they really are until the end of the film.
The film has a certain sweet symphony to
it, especially during the main action sequence which sees a standoff between
the police and the mafia. It shows both the emotions and the mental state of
the characters as they chase down each other being entirely unaware of who they
are but the audience knowing their true identities. Every close call for the
characters in the film is a skipped heartbeat for the audience. The title of
the film comes from the death of a subsidiary character and in hindsight, there
is a bittersweet way in which it ties to the end of the film.
Scorsese has also taken the opportunity to
pay tribute and show his audience what influences and drives him. The multiple
mentions of Sigmund Freud and his theories show that Scorsese has respect for
his ideas and put them in the film. He has also used a quotation by John Lennon
which shows his background and interest in music. This is also reflected in the
background music which involves music from Pink Floyd, The Rolling Stones, and
others. The music was selected in collaboration with a close friend of his,
Robbie Robertson, a member of the band called The Band and the use of the song
I’m Shipping Up to Boston by Dropkick Murphys features heavily in the film.
Scorsese brings impeccable style to all his
films. Although he does not have a particular recurring style in every one of
his films, each film has a unique identity to set it apart. The use of music to
coincide with the events of the film and the edits to go along with the music
are a part of Scorsese’s style and can be seen evidently in this film.
The Departed is one of Scorsese’s best
works. It is a must watch film for lovers of mafia-themed films and those who
enjoy good cinema.
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