Simply the most gripping movie I've seen this year

Rating: 9/10 (18 November 2006)

Not everything about "The Departed" is perfect, but I don't care. I was absolutely knocked out by this movie. I'll put it this way: I have never been a real fan of Damon, DiCaprio or Mark Wahlberg, thinking that they were all somewhat-to-highly overrated. But not anymore. Given a real story, and real direction, they all jump off the screen in the best performances I've ever seen from any of them. (Wahlerg's part is relatively small but he is 100% better than anything else I've seen him in). I'm even ready to forgive Alec Baldwin for becoming a bloated self-parody; he's taken what he's become and used it to great effect here, and I can hardly wait to see what he does next.
The darkness, the violence, the bad language and the bleak cynicism of the screenplay may make "The Departed" a tough view for the average "soccer mom" and Oprah follower; but anyone who appreciates complexity, ambiguity and genuine moral anguish in their movies will find this movie well worth their time.
In addition to all this, Jack Nicholson seems to have physically transformed into actor Rip Torn for this role, which is great...because the only actor I would have preferred to Jack in this role would have BEEN Rip Torn.
I never saw the original Hong Kong movie this is based on, so I can't say how it compares, but it doesn't matter. Scorcese has proved, once again, that he is still one of the greatest directors of our time.