An American Masterpiece

Rating: 10/10 (25 December 2006)

Martin Scorsese is undoubtedly one of the best directors who ever lived. From "Mean Streets" to "Taxi Driver," "Raging Bull," and "GoodFellas," he has entertained audiences for years on end. Now, you can add the Academy Award-winning "The Departed" to that list of films. This is his best effort yet.
Billy Costigan (Leonardo DiCaprio) grew up with his father in the South Boston projects. He did things in order to survive, and these things were not always legal. Later in life, he enters the Massachussetts State Police in order to rid the dirt off of his family's name. This catches the eye of Captain Queenan (Martin Sheen) and Seargent Dignam (Mark Wahlberg), who are interested in his presence, due to Billy's history of assault, but they also realize how this could work to their advantage. Costigan's superiors bring him into Queenan's office. The cops want him to infiltrate the violent Irish Mob lead by Frank Costello (Jack Nicholson). With a healthy bonus involved, Billy agrees to do it. His job is to gain information and bring it back to either Dignam or Queenan. What the police don't know, however, is that the psychotic mob boss has planted a mole of his own in the state police force, Colin Sullivan (Matt Damon). The fatherless Sullivan meets Costello when he is collecting money from a local proprietor. The gangster takes the young boy under his wing, and becomes the crazed father figure. Eventually, the hard-working Sullivan gets numerous promotions within the force, and once Costigan has infiltrated the crime syndicate, he gains the trust of Costello each day. Sooner than not, both moles find out about each other's existence, and it becomes a cat- and-mouse game. The movie is about how far humans can go living a lie, and whether or not a person deserves a chance at redemption.
"The Departed" sounds like a cop/thriller, but it is the genre Scorsese knows best: crime/drama. This is a gangster film to the bone, and it works flawlessly. I have never been much of a Leonardo Dicaprio fan, but his performances of late, especially in this film, are making me think differently. He adds so much emotion and humanity to the role of Billy Costigan. He is amazing here. Matt Damon's Colin Sullivan is a deeply complex individual, who is caught in a world of trouble, and he does a great job. Jack Nicholson gives the best performance of his career as Frank Costello. His character is the ultimate idea of evil, and he does it so convincingly, that it almost becomes real. Mark Wahlberg is flawless as Dignam. He is the most profane, hilarious, and serious character. It's interpreted so perfectly that it becomes one of the movie's best performances. Great jobs from Martin Sheen, Ray Winstone, Vera Farmiga, and Alec Baldwin as well.
Martin Scorsese won an Academy Award for his directing here. Yes, he's deserved it before, and he deserves it now. This film is breathtaking. He works every scene like there's nothing to it, and the result is an American masterpiece.
The perfect screenplay from William Monahan (based on Infernal Affairs), takes so many chances, has great dialogue, and a wonderful plot structure. It was the ultimate guide for the master filmmaker.
In the end, there's nothing not to like. We weave in and out of the criminal underworld, and it was done by the movie-maker who knows that place best. The film is not without importance, and even dips into Biblical themes of how violence should be interpreted. It's a Scorsese film; it's also the most entertaining film of the year. Yes, it's dead-serious, and even tragic, but it's a blast to watch. In the hands of another director, would this have been possible? The Best Picture-winning movie is so good, that it ranks up with the best films ever made. It fits together like a puzzle, and the result is fascinating. This piece of Shakespeare is the greatest portrait of organized crime in film history.