The Departed: Movie Review, Analysis, and Mistakes

Martin Scorsese's Outstanding Crime Drama

Last night I saw "The Departed", directed by Martin Scorsese (known for directing a bunch of famous movies throughout the last 25 years, including "taxi driver" and "Gangs of New York")

It was absolutely outstanding and if you check out the movie review site Rotten Tomatoes it scored a rating of 92% positive. This is an almost unheard of high rating for a new film. Usually for a film to rate this high, it has to be in retrospection, meaning the reviews are done after the social and popular impact of the movie has already been seen.

Quick Summary
The movie is violent crime drama about a local mafia crime boss, and an undercover agent trying to bring him down, and a dirty detective. It was the fun "double identity" theme where each character has to struggle with concealing his hidden identity and coming to terms with the stress and drama the situation creates. Although the material is all stuff we've seen before, the "hero" undercover agent who wants his identity back, the dirty detective, and the over-the-top hedonistic crime boss ala soprano style and there are numerous continuity problems (listed below), this movie still comes off as outstanding.

What makes this film so good is its absolute superb delivery of its material.

Scorsese proves his ability as an amazingly talented director. Although you've seen these characters and actors before, you've heard lines similar and you've seen many attempts at the same dramatic tension, it's extremely rare that a director is able to pull it all together and keep the story interesting and actively paced from minute 1 to the ending credits. The dramatic tension builds, then releases, and then builds then releases, and there really is never a slow moment. You're always anticipating the final release, but Scorsese never gives it to you, the movie seamlessly flows from one confrontation to another, one suspense building scene to another.