Scorsese proves why he's America's best living filmmaker

Rating: 9/10 (8 October 2006)

Today I went to see a movie, I really didn't start hearing about until the past few weeks. While the internet has been the cause for much time away from my family, I never really seek out movie info, part of me still likes the surprise of seeing trailers at the theater, but I also have adopted a "I'll see it when I believe it" attitude when it comes to movies in the works. I have other things to do than bad mouth movies that have not even come out yet... with that being said....
I went to see the latest Martin Scorsese film "The Departed". First of all "Goodfellas" is easily the top 2 of my favorite films of ALL TIME (right up there with "Empire Strikes Back"). I have seen "Goodfellas" easily over 20 times in it's entirety. I am in the camp that believes that Martin was robbed of the Oscar in 1990, by Kevin Costner and his "Dances with Wolves". Don't get me wrong "Dances" was a good film, but I really think that for me it lacked the emotional journey and overall power that "Goodfellas" had. GF is film-making at it's best and honestly "The Departed" is like a breath of fresh air that's missing from so many big Hollywood films. Like many, I believe that Scorsese is arguably the best American director still alive today. Admitingly I was not a huge fan of the "Avaitor", and while "Gangs of New York" had it's flaws, it was still an enjoyable film. Of course films like Raging Bull, Taxi Driver, and Mean Streets stand on their own through the test of time.
The film centers around Billy Costigan (DiCaprio) who is an undercover cop working inside Frank Costello's (Nicholson) gang and Colin Sullivan (Damon) who plays a cop working as a spy for Costello and his crew, keeping the Boston police off his tail.
What follows for the next 2 and a half hours is an intricate crime drama with richly developed characters and an often vulgar, blood soaked story that will have you fully enthralled for the duration of the film.
I don't want to spend all this time discussing the plot, I don't want to be put in the position of spoilers and giving away the best parts of the film. I am here to say that this is easily the front runner for the best film of 2006. Scorsese returns to his mobster roots and does not miss a beat. For a Scorsese fan all his signatures are there, from a soundtrack that could not relate better to the images on screen, to the brutality of the violence... This is no cheesy WWE John Cena film, this is a raw, bloody "R" rated movie for all the right reasons. This combined with the Boston setting make this a choice film for this boring time of yawn inducing October releases.
The cast is suburb, Damon, DiCaprio, Nicholson are all equally amazing. Nicholson especially pitch perfect as Frank Costello, the aging crime lord that gets the sense there is a cop in his crew. Matt Damon is also amazing as the prick dirty cop working for Costello keeping him out of harms way. DiCaprio of course proves why he is worth every penny and this role really solidifies that he is the real deal. On a side note I find it funny that Ben Affleck gets tons of press, but has been in only one good movie ("Chasing Amy"), but friend Damon, has not only been getting quality roles, but roles that make money as well.
While these are the key players, they take nothing away from an amazing supporting cast including Alec Baldwin, Mark Walberg and Martin Sheen, all do an amazing job in bringing very complex, unforgettable characters to blistering life.
Worth a second, and third viewing, just to watch the acting alone, but also to really immerse yourself in the complex world of cops and criminals.
Highly recommended, and worth every penny. This holds up as a very good reason than great movies can still be made. It's just sad that there are not more movies that are of this quality.