Without question, the best film of my generation.

Rating: 10/10 (16 May 2014)

Some people like movies because of the emotion they elicit, others love to follow the story and some even consume the script word by word. Some people are looking for the lesson to be learned to carry with them after the credits roll. However, rarely does a film run on all cylinders; weaving all of these things(plus more) together simultaneously, delivering all of the above to your senses. The Departed is one of these films. I would argue there are only a handful of films that have ever been made that can lay such claim. Many of the top 250 films have flaws yet their unique nature and/or individuality of the film transcends any rating and makes such an impact on the viewer that the viewer must throw a rose on stage and clap, bravo. The Departed is brilliant in every aspect and for my measure, flawless. Few movies "have everything." This film makes its magic in the details and extension of basic ideas. From the lingo on both sides, drenched in black humor and voiced by local accents of the area to the suspenseful uncertainty that develops throughout the film, the viewer feels as if they belong IN THE FILM. I won't say too much but, by the end of it, you are left analyzing the people around you in your life you see every day; at least, I was the first time I saw it. Isn't that the point of a movie? Stop reading. Cancel any distractions preemptively and enjoy the greatest film of the last twenty years.