The+Departed

The Departed Spencer Browne IB Film 4B

Film Title: The Departed

Plot: Two newbie cops are just initiated into the precinct, one is a rat working for one of the largest mobsters in Boston, the other is about to become the undercover cop set out to find who the rat is. We follow our two main characters as they both start to realize each other’s existence and need to keep things close to the chest. As things get more hectic who don’t know who knows what, the tension rises.

Theme: Self-Identity and Deceit

Tone: The callous and forthright tone lends the realism and harsh reality of working for both sides of the law.

Non-Diegetic Elements Non-Diegetic Element 1: When the opening titles appear. Non-Diegetic Element 2: Frank Costello is at the opera, we hear opera music playing and then the scene cuts while the music is still playing. Non-Diegetic Element 3: When Jack Nicholson is playing music in his house, the scene is cut and in the next scene the music is still playing. Non-Diegetic Element 4:The music that is played during the chase scene between Leonardo diCaprio’s character and Matt Damon’s is non-diegetic because it is not part of the movie. Non-Diegetic Element 5:In the very beginning we hear a voice-over from Frank Costello but never see him say them on screen so it is non-diegetic, then he a j-cut happens and his voice-over is now part of the movie. Non-Diegetic Element 6: After Billy Costigan is shot, Collin Sullivan is telling his account of what happened to the police while music used for deceased police is used in the background. During this scene the music is non-diegetic, but then it cuts to a funeral for Billy and the music becomes Diegetic. Non-Diegetic Element 7: There is theme music played throughout, it is plucks on a guitar string, the volume rises as scenes that are talking about Billy Costigan's identity-crisis take place.

Mise-en-scene Elements Mise-en-scene Example 1: At the very end of the movie we see a quick shot of a rat, which could represent the plot, the chase for the rat, and the theme, self-identity.

Mise-en-scene Example 2: When we first see the Frank Costello he is lit in low light with high contrast on his face to indicate his mysteriousness as well as well as his shady moral compass, and we don’t actually see his face until a few minutes into the film.

Mise-en-scene Example 3: There is a close-up shot of Leonardo diCaprio writing down his social security number and information to foreshadow Frank Costello’s suspiciousness of Billy.

Mise-en-scene Example 4: We know that Queenan is meeting with Billy when Matt Damon’s character calls both the police and Frank on Queenan and Billy's meeting. Billy Costigan has to show up late, because he has to pretend he wasn’t alrady there. Frank’s men get inside the building and are asking Quenan about the rat. As Leo is about to help out Frank’s men Queenan is thrown off the roof, this cut between the two scenes, confirms our inclination of what was going to happen to Queenan, but also adds to its horrendousness and spontaneity which makes the fall that much more sinister. We only see Frank’s men move in on Queenan and then see Leo walk towards the building when a body hits the ground.

Mise-en-scene Example 5: The light of Leonardo diCaprio and Jack Nicholson in the bar pulls our focus to Jack Nicholson. While the camera is moving in towards both of them, it is pulling focus on Nicholson making the scene become dramatic and drawing our attention only towards him. Even though the light is a warmer tone, it casts Jack off as a more evil character. Costello gives off an air of dominance in this photo, but despite his suspicion towards Billy, they are very close to each other hinting at a later father-and-son-like relationship.

Mise-en-scene Example 6: When Billy is at the bar with his cousin, he needs to garner Frank’s attention and strikes out at a man at the bar. Billy is considered to be a good character and in this part lit very darkly, possibly showing Billy’s ability to get into his other persona and also show his lack of identity.

Mise-en-scene Example 7: As Matt Damon makes his way to the precinct he is being looked at through a viewfinder. The rest of the screen is black except for him, and then the circle of the viewfinder widens and reveals the rest of the police station. This singles him out, it could either be seen as notifying him as a rat, or a key future player in both Frank Costello's and Billy Costigan's role in the movie.

Mise-en-scene Example 8: When Billy Costigan is following Collin Sullivan through the back alleyways, Billy Costigan’s face is light up more brightly than Matt Damon's character. Here the lighting gives us a clear idea of who is the protagonist and who isn’t.

Mise-en-scene Example 9: Collin Sullivan is being told he must now look through security papers at the police station in order to find the rat. Queenan is telling him that people will not like him as much now. As he is saying this the camera pans outward while a black screen with a circle in the middle moves in on Collin Sullivan. This symbolizes his forlorn character at this moment in the movie.

Mise-en-scene Example 10: As Frank Costello is dying, Matt Damon's character finds him and confronts him about being an FBI informant. During this scene Jack Nicholson's face is dark while Matt Damon's is heavily contrasted showing his mixed thoughts on what do to with Costello.