Outrageously good

Rating: 10/10 (10 October 2006)

For me, 2006 has been a fairly mediocre year at the cinema. Too many films with excessive special effects that weren't essential to the plot of the film (aside from the fact that most of them had razor thin plots anyway). For me, Departed has blown all the other films I've seen this year clear out of the water. I've been reminded why all of the major actors in this are rated so highly. They've all turned in either medium or mega sized turds in their careers, but they should all rightly be proud of this.
I'll spare you the synopsis of the film. IMDb's own synopsis plus other comments have done that for me. I'll go into the performances themselves.
Leonardo DiCaprio turns in arguably his most gripping performance since Basketball diaries or Gangs of New York. A slushy lovable character he certainly isn't in this film; self assured and confident at the beginning, by the middle of it Billy Costigan is a total wreck - still on the right side of the law but losing his mind as he comes ever close to being uncovered and brutally, viciously killed.
Nicholson's Irish accent is next to non existent, but you don't care. He's menacing beyond belief, a particular scene coming to mind between him and DiCaprio when he nonchalantly waves around a severed hand whilst having breakfast to make a point. DiCaprio's character is terrified.
Damon has always been pretty damn good with everything he touches seemingly turning to silver if not gold, but he effortlessly plays a bent corrupt cop who is ultimately out of his depth. Colin Sullivan (his character) will stop at nothing to protect himself and you get increasingly incredulous at how low he'll stoop. Watch for the scene with him in his office on a walkie talkie as he tries to frame another member of the unit to save his own neck (I'm not saying who). It's chilling.
Mark Whalberg provides some black comedy, useful for breaking up the tension and rebuilding it once more. He might (or might not) be bent, but ignore his character at your peril - he's more key to the plot than you realise. The dead pan double routine about sleeping with his bosses sister (played very well by Alec Baldwin - the boss who is out of touch with the brutal truth) who in turn asks how his mother is is great fun.
Make no mistake, Scorsese makes a film with good potential in a fabulous film and will deservedly take much credit for it. It's pretty damn impressive right up until DiCaprio and Damon come face to face; the conclusion of the film will ram itself right in your face and leave you outraged, brutalised, exhilarated and stunned. It's the fastest 2 1/2 hr film I've ever seen and I am seriously contemplating going back to watch it again - something I've not wanted to do since I saw Sleepers - and wasn't that a long time ago... This is really as good as I (and everyone else) is making out. A definite must watch, it's bound to pick up a couple of Oscars next year..