Oh, but that wasn't at the end, nor was it a big surprise, and most of all, it was connected to something external to the plot, so it didn't really matter. Though I will grant it provides a good set-up for a sequel.
Yeah, but like gul says, that was revealed earlier on and wasn't a shock. I naturally assumed you meant the other dirty cop. Because that was a shock and one of the more pivotal moments of the film.
Well, yes... that's why he was killed... I was shocked when it came out. He was spending so much time and energy trying to out the cop's mole when he himself was a bigger rat. One more thing... The fella that gave diCaprio (Costigan) the wrong address... He was shot and killed, but before he died, he knew that Costigan was a cop, but didn't say anything to the other mobsters. He was just about to tell Costigan why when he died. He said that he had never killed anyone and now he knows he couldn't.... Do you thinnk he was telling the truth? Later on the news, it was said that he was an undercover cop killed in the line of duty. It was never revealed for sure whether he was a cop or not, but how cool would that be? I think he was a cop. Probably a Fed. Even if he didn't have the heart to kill someone, he would have had a vested intrest in getting rid of a cop in their midst.
See my post above about Whitey Bulger. I would have been more surprised had Costello not been an FBI informant. The character just shouted Whitey at me from the beginning (of course, that's trading on local inside info, so I wouldn't expect others to see it). I'm pretty sure it was stated that they leaked that story in order to take the heat off Costigan. If it wasn't openly stated, it was certainly implied. Well, the interplay between the two sides moling each other was definitely what made the movie more interesting than the standard cops and bad guys story. But I think we were given most of the information by the end of the film. We basically had two Costello moles in the Staties, 1 cop mole in Costello's gang, and Costello's role with the FBI was pretty much what he said it was -- feed them just enough about things that didn't matter to keep them off his back.
There is a DVD featurette about Whitey Bulger in the Special Edition DVD. You should pick it up if you don't already have it. Costello and the mobsters stated that he wasn't a cop during the newscast, but they didn't know for sure. They just shool their heads and said Blue anin't no f***in' cop! and that was the end of it. No one in the Staties said one word either way.... Why would a mobster allow a cop to go unnoticed in the mob? Again, on the special features DVD, Scorsesee acknowledges that it was revealed for sure, but never stated either way. Open interpretation, I guess.
thats whats great about this movie, the whole thing works off that one line... Jack pointed it out at the begining of the movie, the line about you could be a cop or criminel, but when you are faceing a loaded gun does it matter... it's a movie of greys, nothing is black and white.
That line is right up there in my mind with "Forget it Jake, it's Chinatown." The more I think about it, the more I see the departed as a modern take on noir that just happens to also be a mafia movie.
I give it (out of 5). My takeaway: Leo DiCaprio greatly exceeded my expectations -- an outstanding job, IMO! Vera Farmiga as Madolyn, the psychologist The Boston setting A very cool plot, but the performances are so strong they almost carry the move regardless. I think it's time to see Mystic River again, and continue the Boston .
Most definatly. the visual aspect of the presentation is defiantly drawing on noir, so I think this was marties way of updateing the genera
It's a great flick, but I wouldn't say it was one of the best mafia movies of all time. That honour obviously goes to The Godfather and, to a lesser extent, Goodfellas.
Not the best, but certainly one of the best. I just read the thread again and I think I'll watch it again tonight. I've never seen The Godfather oddly enough, but Goodfellas was pretty awesome.
Aside from the fact that it wasn't a mafia movie at all -- did you see the part where Jack Nicholson talks about the fucking WOPs down in Providence? That's the mafia base in New England. Boston is the Irish mob. Other than that, definitely top tier for cops and gansters and noirish shades of gray.
These are the top tier of gangster movies IMO. Goodfellas Godfather I and II Scarface Casino The Departed City of God Do Pulp Fiction and Reservoir Dogs count in the same genre? They are technically "crime", but they aren't telling expansive stories like those above. LA Confidential would be there too but it's debatable.
They have a prequel (or maybe a reboot) of Carlito's Way at my library. I will not watch it unless there's guaranteed cake at the end. Heat is a classic crime movie!
Oh man, we like the same stuff. Heat!! And that prequel was weak. Both movies are from 2 books. The movie Carlito's Way is from the book After Hours but they decided to call it Carlito's Way after the first book.
I consider Heat to be part of a trilogy, seated between Chinatown and Bladerunner. More of a noir genre film than mob in my opinion, but definitely some overlap. I haven't seen City of God yet, will have to check that out.
Yeah. All three have a protagonist who gets lost in a scenario he didn't create nor is able to understand. It isn't clear who the real villain is, and you are treated to awesome imagery of a decaying society in a decaying city.
