An Instant Scorsese Classic, Nicholson Dominates...

Rating: 9/10 (12 April 2007)

"The Departed" will join director Martin Scorsese's other classic crime dramas, arguably on a par with "GoodFellas" in particular. This film easily swept the Academy Awards in 2007, winning Best Picture, Best Director, Best Editor and Best Adapted Screenplay.
This classic film is set in Boston, where two young police cadets( Matt Damon and Leonardo DiCaprio) are pulled into the web of betrayal and murder orchestrated by Irish crime boss Frank Costello (played by the legendary Jack Nicholson). The complex plot is based on the Hong Kong film "Internal Affairs"(2002) of which "The Departed" is a remake. The film is packed with A-list talent; in addition to that mentioned above, the movie also stars Martin Sheen, Alec Baldwin, and Mark Wahlberg.
The screenplay for "The Departed" is among the best ever written for a crime drama, it keeps the action moving at a fast clip and delivers clever dialogue alongside fantastic character development. Martin Scorsese won his first Academy award for Best Director for this picture; a well-deserved and long-delayed honor for one of America's greatest directors. It's easy to see why Scorsese won for this film, it is yet another brilliant expose of his masterful skill as a director.
Jack Nicholson dominates this film. His performance as crime boss Frank Costello is brilliant and seems to come effortlessly to this living legend of the silver screen. The Costello character is ruthless and Machavellian to say the least, he "adopts" the young Colin character (Conor Donovan, played as an adult by Matt Damon) who grows up to join the Massachusetts State Police, thereby giving the crime boss an inside man within law enforcement, and the perfect ally to protect and expand his various rackets. From Nicholson's opening line, he outshines the other actors with screen presence alone, and then eclipses them altogether with his classic line deliveries.
Leonardo DiCaprio has grown to full maturity as a true A-List actor. His third collaboration with Scorsese (following 2002's "Gangs Of New York" and 2004's "Tha Aviator") as police cadet-turned-undercover cop Billy Costigan is perfectly performed, illustrating Scorsese's continued ability to draw out DiCaprio's best interpretations. Matt Damon revisits familiar territory as a South Boston cop, this role recalls his performance in "Good Will Hunting" complete with authentic Boston accent. Damon also works well under Scorsese, portraying the duplicitous, crooked cop Colin; his performance is sharp and well-balanced.
Mark Wahlberg's character Staff Seargent Dingnam is all wit and constant profanity, giving him the majority of the hilarious one-liners and zingers in this film. Martin Sheen provides a perfect counterbalance to Wahlberg's character as Chief Queenan. Providing further evidence of perfect casting is Alec Baldwin, who portrays Lieutenant Ellerby, the most crass and humorous of the veteran officers. Ray Winstone also delivers a superb performance as the menacing, authoritative Mr. French, Costello's most trusted enforcer.
The music of The Rolling Stones constantly drones in and out during the film, providing excellent atmosphere for a crime flick set on the mean streets.
"The Departed" is a instant classic, a great movie for fans of gritty, violent crime dramas ala "The Sopranos". Scorsese continues to exhibit his mastery for this genre of film, his best work to date.