4 of 4

My full review is at Looking Closer.

Harry Forbes (Catholic News Service) says Scorsese is "back in his element, exhibiting the gritty flair he showed in films such as Mean Streets and Goodfellas. … For all its implausibilities, the film, buttressed by solid performances and Scorsese's cinematic bravado, keeps you absorbed."

Forbes also notes, "In this sort of film, a high quotient of violence is to be expected, and though Scorsese doesn't exactly wallow in it, there are some strong sequences that will be hard to take. Less dramatically sound is the nonstop barrage of expletives, excessive even for the underworld environment."

Christopher Lyon (Plugged In) says, "In some ways, The Departed delivers exactly what you would expect from a Scorsese crime movie. Well-crafted storytelling. Impressive tough-guy performances from a crackerjack cast. And several truckloads of brutal, graphic violence and harshly obscene language (especially and endlessly the f-word)."

Christian Hamaker (Crosswalk) says the movie is, "overly long, terribly profane, brutally violent and extremely dark. The cinematic technique, especially during the film's first hour, is dazzling—a fluid mix of camera movement, Classic Rock, and Mob machinations that sets a grim and gritty tone for what's to come. But the energy soon lags, and a sea of despair drowns most of the characters, while the law of diminishing returns takes hold of the film."

Mainstream critics are celebrating Scorsese's return to crime sagas, and praising the cast with a flood of superlatives.

Sister Rose Pacatte F.S.P. (Eye on Entertainment) says, "This film is a testament to just how infested human societies can become with rats, both large and small, old and young. … I wouldn't be surprised if The Departed … doesn't gain an Oscar for Scorsese, at last, and another nod for DiCaprio, who is brilliant as the conflicted good cop."

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