The Departed - Professor Scorsese teaches us all a lesson

Rating: 8/10 (6 October 2006)

If you think this is the usual blood and guts gangster movie, you will be wrong. But I do not think you will be disappointed. There is so much more to this movie as long as you can put up with fiendishly clever and excessive, blood, guts, swearing and downright beautiful acting, writing, direction, camera work in an incomparable style that will be hard to beat at the next Oscar awards.
It's easy to say that the people going to this movie want to see at least one of the numerous famous actors. By far the best was Nicholson, but for the rest, everyone very nearly as great, they were nose to nose at the finish line. I want you to know that I have not been a big fan of the grown but still young brat pack, Dicaprio, Wahlberg and Damon, but I am now a believer and no one twisted my arm. Seriously, everyone in this movie performed extremely well. If you have something against "blood and guts" movies and decide not to go, the choice you make will deprive you of the best group performance I have seen in a long time. The acting is very stylistic and sometimes comically over-the-top. The writing and camera work will almost make the normal mystery buff drool for more.
And now, for the master himself, Martin Scorsese. Bravo! The way you manipulated the characters, drained the Red Cross of every last drop of their reserve and yet managed to make the story so easy to follow despite its surprises was sheer genius. On top of that, this was an extremely fun movie to try to figure out. When I knew there was going to be a twist, I was surprised each time how you tricked me. I suspect Jack has taken you to the dark side. Good move! Great movie!!
I do not give bloody movies a 10, so giving it an 8 of 10, you can see how nearly perfect this movie was.