Hands down the best movie I've seen all year

Rating: 10/10 (11 October 2006)

I expected The Departed to be an excellent film, but the final product blew me away. The story, the cast, and the direction were amazing. DiCaprio has improved with each performance he's given, and he is at the top of his game in this one. Damon plays a perfect foil, a smooth and sneaky character that was so easy to hate and yet remained empathetic. Nicholson was memorable as mob boss Costello, a twisted character that was made for him. The supporting cast, especially Baldwin and Wahlberg, were just as great.
The story was engrossing from start to finish, and Scorcese presents it with style and visual flair. He uses music and camera angles to great effect. No one can deny he is a master of the trade. Monahan's adaptation is tight and balances story with character perfectly.
Look out for The Departed come Oscar season. I have seen a lot of movies this year, but The Departed blows them all out of the water. Easily the best Scorcese film since Goodfellas, The Departed deserves your hard earned money more than anything in the theaters this year.