Proud to have seen it in theaters

Rating: 10/10 (30 October 2006)

Jack Nicholson. Leonardo DiCaprio. Matt Damon. Mark Wahlberg. Martin Sheen. These are just a few of the massive, all-star, ensemble cast in this film. And with Martin Scorsese behind the wheel, this movie, for the most part, is flawless. Now for those of you not familiar with Scorsese's work, I suggest you try either Goodfellas (1990), or his earlier classic, Mean Streets (1973). Many will try to argue that Goodfellas is Scorsese's undisputed best picture, but with the release of this film, I beg to differ. I won't go into the plot much, so as to keep its twists and turns secret, but I will say this; never in my life have I seen a film quite like this. This is, by far, the best movie to be released this year. Also, in my own opinion, it is the best crime/action film to be released in my lifetime.
For starters, the acting in this movie is beyond phenomenal. If analyzed, one can conclude that DiCaprio, playing Billy Costigan, is our main character and protagonist. Though everyone in the film ends up unintentionally cowering in the shadow and talent of Mr. Jack Nicholson, as Frank Costello, the all-knowing, hard-hitting mob boss. So, this film is obviously wonderful for fans of Nicholson, but don't get me wrong, everyone has their own moments. Matt Damon, as Colin Sullivan, plays our anti-hero to DiCaprio, and let me tell you, when those two are put against each other, watch out! I have never seen such brilliant acting from either of those two men.
The overall plot of the movie concerns DiCaprio, a failed Boston policeman, becoming an inside man, infiltrating Nicholson's Irish mafia world of crime. What DiCaprio doesn't know is that Matt Damon is a mobster, sent by Nicholson to infiltrate the Boston Police Department. When the two men discover that there is a mole on either side, bloodshed and violence ensue. They set out to find who is infiltrating their own side, while they themselves must be moles within their enemy's world. The plot becomes thick, and sub-plots build, but it remains friendly, and not overly intelligent to the audience. So it doesn't leave us scratching our heads at the end of the film, but it rather leaves our jaws dropped to the floor.
I give this film a perfect rating of 10 out of 10. The directing is stunning, I truly think it is Scorsese's best film to date. The writing is wonderful. Though the movie is partly based upon a Hong-Kong action film, and some true happenings in Boston concerning the Irish mafia, the dialog and structure of the plot is very well written. The editing is beautiful. Most people never take editing into consideration, but it is an extremely important part of the pacing and flow of the movie. It also plays a large role in the film's style. And as I said earlier, the acting is mind blowing. Everyone in the movie was at the top of their game. But perhaps the main reason I enjoyed this film so much was it's "stick-it-to-the-man" attitude. It was a slap in the face to Hollywood. Yes, this movie was a blockbuster. Yes, the actors are all out of Hollywood. But for someone to suggest that this film does not prove the existence of true art in Hollywood, well they're just lying to themselves. This is a return to the Hollywood we always think of in our dreams. Back to the days of Scarface (1983), The Godfather (1972), and Chinatown (1974). This film is a shining star in the argument "Does art still exist in Hollywood?". I can proudly say now "Yes it does".