Fantasy Football League goes to the movies (yes, just like the
rest of you). Sometimes I go with one of my many lady friends.
Still other times I go with fellow ROFFL members. After viewing
these movies, I form an opinion. Here in a new column, exclusive
to retiredorangemen.com, is Five Second Stare at the Movies.
There are 5 ratings:
HANDSOME
GOOD-LOOKING
DECENT
IF I HAD A FEW DRINKS IN ME
GROSS
to them. The most obvious one would be “Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menance” but there have been
others. In fact, Martin Scorsese’s own “Gangs of New York” never lived up to the hype. I left the theatre after
watching that movie very disappointed.
Now it’s worth mentioning before I review this flick, that I love Martin Scorsese. I think he’s the greatest filmmaker to
ever live. I prefer his films over Welles, Hitchcock, Hughes, Ford, Fellini, Spielberg, and Godard. Let’s do a brief
review, “Taxi Driver” and “Mean Streets” are two of the very best movies of the ‘70s. Raging Bull is the greatest
movie of the ‘80s and GoodFellas is the greatest of the ‘90s. And now we have “The Departed,” the best movie I’ve
seen since “The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King” and probably the best movie of the 21st century.
The movie is two and a half hours but moves at a break-neck speed, thanks largely to the direction of Scorsese and
master editor Thelma Schoonmaker (you can just hand her the Oscar now). But I’m gushing, let’s get to the film.
“The Departed” takes place “Some Time Ago” in Boston. Frank Costello (Jack Nicholson) is the head of the Irish
Mob and after his opening narration; we know that he is evil. We learn in the first moments of the film that he’s in
recruitment mode at all times and he lands the heart and mind of one Colin Sullivan (Matt Damon) at an early age.
Time goes by and Colin is moving up the ranks of the Boston Police Department at a rapid pace. On the other side
of the tracks is southie cop Billy Costigan Jr. (Leonardo DiCaprio). Costigan, because of his family ties to the mob is
recruited to take on the role of spy in Costello’s outfit.
It wouldn’t be true for me to say that this is when the movie really takes off because the film is at full speed by the first
frame, at the first note of “Gimme Shelter” by the Stones.
A cat and mouse game ensues and almost nothing is at it appears to be. Scorsese weaves everyone’s story with
ease and we never once think about how long the movie is. All we can think about is the tension in every scene
between, well, anyone and Jack Nicholson.
Let’s just put it on the board right here: DiCaprio will be nominated for best actor and Whalberg and/or Martin Sheen
will be nominated for best supporting actor, but the film is sprinkled with gems by Baldwin (who is hilarious), Anthony
Anderson, Ray Winstone, and of course, Jack.
Damon might have the most complex role in the film and he really is fantastic. With Damon’s Sullivan, we don’t know
whether to despise him or feel bad for him, for he is clearly only a puppet in Costello’s plan and at no point in the film
has a mind of his own. Vera Farmiga, who I’ve liked since she had a small role in “15 Minutes,” has the dubious job
of mixing it up with both DiCaprio and Damon but she holds her own with the heavyweights. And of course there is
Nicholson, who plays Costello as evil as he can. There are moments where he shows the smile, but this isn’t the
Joker.
The movie is another masterpiece for Scorsese, who does a cops and robbers shoot out for the first time and does it
better than I’ve ever seen it done before. This film is about our own greed, insecurities and about our lies and
deception. And Scorsese does not let anyone get away with it.
Rare does a movie of this nature live up to the hype. I’m almost upset with the studios for dropping this flick in
October. If this film is released in late November you could have gift wrapped the Oscars to Leo, Marty, and
Whalberg.
I guess my admiration will do.
