A gift of cinema

Rating: Null/10 (17 February 2007)

This film is something I will talk about for a long time. I have been a solid fan of Scorsese since Mean Streets but no film has smacked me to the ground in awe like The Departed.
First about the script and directing. The story flows perfectly. There are no scenes that in the film that don't NEED to be in the film. Each scene something relevant is revealed and it continues the story in rapid progression. Nothing is revealed too soon and nothing is held back to long from the audience. A masterpiece of writing. The character are fitting, specific and interesting. Throughout there is a curiosity of what's going on and where it's going without being annoyingly confusing. The cinematography is gorgeous. All the shots are perfect, the lighting is gorgeous and it sets the perfect mood for the scene. The directing is amazing. There is that Scorsese feel to the film, realistic with a touch of insane fantasy. A true piece of art.
Now on to the cast. First we'll start with the king, Jack Nicholson. Another 10 point performance under his already outstanding record. He portrays a mafia boss with such charisma and insanity that you can't take your eyes off of him. No matter how evil his character is, you still find yourself rooting for him. An outstanding performance, I would honestly say one of his best. Matt Damon has a huge role in this film and for the first time I didn't want to jump through the screen and kill him. I can't stand Matt Damon but I was able to tolerate him for this film. The huge surprise to me is Leonardo Dicaprio. Like Matt Damon I have always thought that he was overrated. He proved me wrong in this film. He gives an award winning performance. Amazing. You can't take your eyes off the screen any time he's on it. He owns the scene every single moment unless he's in the scene with Jack. If that is the case, You can't decide who to focus on.
This film is a classic and I guarantee you wont regret watching it.