Review of The Departed (2006) by Ben L — 24 Feb 2016

I'm still trying to digest this film and formulate an opinion. The problem is I watched Infernal Affairs much too recently and this movie is a direct remake that basically re-uses every single plot-point from that movie, with only a handful of tweaks.

This movie is longer and takes more time to establish some of the other characters, but I haven't decided yet if that is a good thing. Part of me appreciates the concise nature of Infernal Affairs, but then I also like how The Departed gives people like Jack Nicholson and Vera Farmiga more room to shine.

Speaking of that, one aspect that definitely is in The Departed's favor is the cast. There are so many superb stars in this cast list that it would be silly to even try mentioning them all. I thought Leonardo DiCaprio stood out the most, with Jack Nicholson as a close second.

I also felt like more Alec Baldwin would have been amazing, if they had given him a bigger role (or combined his character in with Martin Sheen.) I will say, while I think it is probably accurate to the setting, I didn't need that quantity of language.

It's a personal preference, but more than 230 F-words in a 151 minute movie seems a little excessive. The plot would have been fascinating if I hadn't just seen Infernal Affairs, where I absolutely loved the story, but knowing what was coming in The Departed diminished my excitement.

I could see, over time and with more views of this movie, my feelings for Infernal Affairs transferring to the English version and The Departed becoming a favorite film. As of right now I need a break from this story, but I'll revisit it somewhere down the line and hopefully post a revised review of The Departed when it is the only movie on my mind.