Bloody, Brutal, Brilliant

Rating: 10/10 (8 October 2006)

"Huh, she fell funny", these are the words of Frank Costello (Jack Nicholson) as he casually executes a woman from close range. Costello is a show stealer, just as Bill the Butcher (Day-Lewis), Tommy DeVito (Joe Pesci) and 'Johnny Boy' (De Niro) before him. The audience have a new semi-psychotic gangster to root for, as he snorts, beats, kills and shags his way through the narrative. Costello is a cold character, larger than life and extravagant in every way, marvel at his brutality and dark humour because characters of this kind rarely grace our screens. This Irish mob boss is a leopard skin wearing, dildo wielding maniac who Nicholson and Scorsese clearly enjoyed bringing to the screen. This is not to say that Nicholson is the film's saving grace, he merely gives a stand out performance in a film overflowing with talent and in some cases genius.
Modern day, South Boston and two fresh faced State Police Troopers are about to embark on very different journeys. Colin Sullivan (Matt Damon) is a go-getter who quickly rises through the ranks and joins an elite group of detectives whose job it is to stamp out organised crime. Colin might seem like the trustworthy type, though he has secretly been groomed by Costello from an early age to infiltrate the Police and become a mole for the mob. Simultaneously, Billy Costigan (Leonardo Dicaprio) due to his troubled past has been planted by the Police within Costello's crew to act as informant on his dirty dealings. It soon becomes apparent to both The Police and Costello's gang that they each have a 'rat' working for the opposite side within their outfits, leading to Costigan and Sullivan embarking on a race against time to discover each others identities.
Loosely based on the Hong Kong classic Infernal Affairs, The Departed consciously maintains its individuality. This is not a remake, and in many ways Scorsese surpasses the tension filled Asian version, with his own brand of Cops and Criminals facing off against each other. Visually, Scorsese has recaptured the true menacing nature of the mean streets. One scene in particular perfectly captures the steam filled, neon lit labyrinth that Costigan and Sullivan negotiate whilst avoiding detection from each other.
Nobody does violence like Scorsese, The Departed is truly brutal and realistic; people are cut up, beaten to a pulp, thrown off buildings and shot in the head at a frantic pace. Marty himself says "Violence is part of who I am, if you're gonna see violence, you'd better experience it". The Departed unites a group of characters that have been rejected by society and dance with death on a daily basis. To label the film a 'cat and mouse tale' does not do it justice. The Departed is a slick piece of modern cinema that depicts extreme violence, alienation and the corruption of power.
If Scorsese is The Departed's brain and Nicolson the brawn then the heart of the film belongs to the excellent Vera Farmiga who plays the Psychologist Madolyn. Girlfriend to Sullivan and councillor to Costigan her Dr/patient relationship with Costigan is particularly complex and tender. As the only character in the film untainted by violence and crime, Madolyn provides some much needed emotional relief to the weighty plot.
The Departed is film-making at its grandest, a powerhouse script, precision directing and impeccable performances all round make this the film of the year so far. With a supporting cast that includes Ray Winstone and Mark Wahlberg The Departed's beefy cast cannot be faulted and makes the film one of Scorsese's best. The mono-browed auteur may have been courting Oscar with Gangs of New York and The Aviator, though The Departed sees him return to what made him truly great in the first place. Welcome back Marty, you've been away too long.