CS Weekly Archive > Weekend Read > 10/06/06

The Long Goodbye

By dennis sampson

The Hong Kong film Infernal Affairs gets a Hollywood facelift (but, strangely, no screen credit), with an A-list Hollywood cast and director. The result is an engrossing, tension-filled game of undercover cat-and-mouse between Boston cops, a mob boss, and moles in both groups that doesn't waver until its final moments.

The Departed

William Monahan

Based on film Infernal Affairs by Siu Fai Mak and Felix Chong

Billy Costigan (Leonardo DiCaprio) is an underprivileged cadet who, due to his upbringing on the tough streets of Boston, is selected -- unbeknownst to all but two cops on the police force -- to work undercover as a soldier for mob boss Frank Costello (Jack Nicholson). At the same time, Colin Sullivan (Matt Damon), a state policeman with an impeccable record, is put on a task force to bring Costello down -- but Sullivan is in fact a mole working for Costello. Add to that a romance triangle involving a shrink (Vera Farmiga) who is involved with Sullivan but in love with Costigan. What follows is a pulse-pounding series of close calls and near misses as both Costigan and Sullivan struggle to avoid detection -- and in some cases, certain death.

The setup of the film alone is fraught with tension, double-crosses, and suspense; in short, it's a model of great drama. Stack on top of that a trio of well-defined characters (all played in top form), each with his own set of psychological issues and personal agendas, and we have the makings of an amazing film. Since the film is grounded in the personas of its three leads, the action and plot turns always stem from character, and it's refreshing when a big Hollywood film doesn't lose sight of this.

In the press notes, William Monahan claims to have made a conscious effort not to watch the original Hong Kong film Infernal Affairs (scripted by Felix Chong and Siu Fai Mak), and instead referred only to a translated screenplay for his adaptation. In so doing, he and director Martin Scorcese have clearly made the material their own. The filmmakers effectively play against our expectations and guesses, earning its strongest moments through character motivations and dynamics. They have also quite admirably kept a very non-Hollywood ending. To boot, after over a decade of weaker films, it's remarkable to see Scorcese's return to true form, telling a truly appealing character study set against a violent, turbulent milieu.

And yet, the movie falls short of Goodfellas and Raging Bull caliber because it suffers from an ending that only partially satisfies -- while all the physical loose ends are tied up, there seems to be an emotional beat missing from the film's final movement. When the climax between Costigan and Sullivan finally rolls around (of which there appear to be several), much of the white-knuckle tension and taut storytelling that had carried the flick earlier is deflated. A more satisfying climax could have given us the three key players facing off against one another, but instead it plays out with a lackluster momentum, counterintuitive to the events leading up to these very moments. The toll taken on Costigan and Sullivan's souls is what's kept our interest for the duration of the picture, and then their denouements are sluggishly dragged out in a mechanical, artificial way (not to mention a hidden "twist" that lacks any logical grounding and garnered an audible grown from a number of audience members). The Departed seems to be crying out for a dovetailed climax with its story, but it never gets one. This film deserved better.

A strong, steady build that's played against the backdrop of a nail-biting, suspense-heavy character piece makes for a welcome return to the roots picture for director Scorcese and an outstanding screenplay by Monahan. The Departed only falls short of becoming a true classic by bumbling its final moments.

The Departed

Warner Bros.
Rated R; 149 min.

Buy tickets now

Dennis Sampson is a commercial production coordinator and unproduced screenwriter. He currently lives in Los Angeles with his better half, Susan, and their dog Tripp.

The Departed courtesy Warner Bros.

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