Crime central.

Rating: Null/10 (24 February 2007)

The best film of 2006, in the tradition of 'Mean Streets', 'Taxi Driver', 'Raging Bull' and 'GoodFellas', is a film that is right up there with the best work that director Martin Scorsese has ever done and this is the best written film of those previously mentioned. This cat and mouse story of of a crooked mole (Matt Damon) inside the Boston state police force and an undercover police officer (Leonardo DiCaprio) inside Boston's Irish mob is a convincing and evenly paced thriller with enough high points leading up to its conclusion that would make Mount Everest jealous. Mark Wahlberg, as a foul mouthed and self righteous staff sergeant on the force steals every scene he is in and Jack Nicholson's sinister portrayal of the film's mob boss is as lethal as any crime boss we've ever seen, only Jack is smoother than all the rest. With support from others such as Martin Sheen and Alec Baldwin, 'The Departed' captures the appeal of the obligatory violence that Scorsese is known for in his films and this is an instant classic that is not only one of Scorsese's best but it is arguably one of the best crime films ever made.