Scorsese at his best!

Rating: 8/10 (6 October 2006)

Mean Streets, Goodfellas and Casino are cherished by all:add The Departed to that list. It was so great watching a Scorsese gangster movie again. With all due respect to Gangs of New York and The Aviator, good as they may be, The Departed has all the hallmarks of the Scorsese that we all know. The film is made with such fine poise, blending humour, seriousness and violence into one fine blend: and it works. There's an electricity that accompanies Scorsese's narrative: a soundtrack pumping with classy Irish karaoke and the occasional bit of Pink Floyd and the Rolling Stones evoke fond memories of the contagious soundtrack of Goodfellas and Casino. As for the Scorsese-Nicholson pairing, it doesn't disappoint. Nicholson is evil in a charming way, we have to remind ourselves he is bad to the bone. But he's such a scene stealer that it's impossible not to like him. Unlike Batman though, he doesn't steal the movie. Every performance is captivating and Leo DiCaprio has come full circle since Titanic. Matt Damon is alarmingly well cast in the role of a pure rat. Jason Boure he may be, put he plays the part of Colin Sullivan with such disdain that he reaps rewards. Just go see this movie! If you're underage, get mum or dad to buy it when it's released on DVD. It's the finest film you'll see this year. Give Scorsese an Oscar! If he earned a nomination for The Aviator, he should be a shoe-in for this! And let him win!