The Departed

I'll be brief and spoiler-free.

Pros:

- Great acting from all, especially Leo
- The last third of the movie is suspenseful and contains some surprising twists & turns.
- Smart dialogue, with some witty humor and ironic moments

Cons:

- The first half of the movie has far too much fat. Many scenes feel drawn out longer than they need to be, and some scenes don't add much of anything to the overall equation.
- Schoonmaker's normally dead-on editing felt off here. Scenes that had no business being paired up were oddly juxtaposed, and her editing rhythm lacked its usual pizazz.
- Jack is essentially playing himself. He has some memorable lines and behaviorisms, but I don't see what all the fuss is about (and his role is definitely a supporting role, not a leading one like some have suggested).

So, I was somewhat disappointed. "The Departed" is still an entertaining cop/mob picture that would have turned out extremely muddled if it weren't in the skilled hands of Scorsese, but I was expecting something leaner and meaner.

Rating: *** (out of ****)
Opens Oct. 6