The Departed
A movie that has around six or seven big name actors written all over its poster seems destined to be good. Much to some people’s disappointment, these films can easily turn out to be a failure. Just look at the recent film “All The King’s Men,” which starred such star names like Sean Penn, Anthony Hopkins, Jude Law, Kate Winslet, and James Gandolfini. Given this information, a film starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Matt Damon, Jack Nicholson, Mark Wahlberg, Alec Baldwin, and Martin Sheen could be predicted to have the same outcome. The catch is that it’s directed by one of the world’s most influential and visionary filmmakers, Martin Scorsese. In his newest film titled “The Departed,” a return to the genre he does best gives departure to the cinematic myths about star studded casts.
Based on the 2002 film from Hong Kong, “Infernal Affairs,” the story of Scorsese’s “Departed” follows the internal affairs of the Irish mob in South Boston. Erratic mob leader, Frank Costello is played by the rejuvenated, unchanged, but equally ecstatic Jack Nicholson in an iconic and exploited performance. It’s good to see that old Jack hasn’t lost his touch. In any event, Frank claims in the opening scenes of the film, that he does not want to be a product of his city, but, rather, wants his city to be a product of him. Because of this, Frank finds young Colin Sullivan (Matt Damon). Posing as a legitimate cop with full background training and expertise, Sullivan is able to keep Frank ahead of the game, by easily infiltrating the city’s crime fighting system. At the same time, Sergeant Oliver Queenan (Martin Sheen) is busy setting up his own mole inside Frank’s criminal operations. That mole is Billy Costigan (Leonardo DiCaprio).
Nicholson is at the top of his game. His performance is like a reformed, but slightly conceded Randle Patrick McMurphy from “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest.” Also surprising is Mark Wahlberg. With Wahlberg, the audience enjoys a hilariously obnoxious and stuck up young cop who constantly clashes with the entire cast of characters; particularly our two main characters played by Damon and DiCaprio. With the help of Scorsese’s talent for building great characters, the two actors deliver perfect on-screen chemistry that, in turn, makes for an astounding confrontation of the identical opposites.
It’s hard to find something better than a classic film from one of America’s most iconic and prolific directors. “The Departed” is a film that becomes much more important due to the actors and the performances they deliver. It’s the movie Scorsese has been dying to make and the Scorsese movie we’ve been dying to see. This is one of the best films of the year given Scorsese simply does what he does best.
The Departed
Rated R for strong brutal violence, pervasive language, some strong sexual content and drug material
Runtime: 152 min.
Starring: Leonardo DiCaprio, Matt Damon, Jack Nicholson, Mark Wahlberg, Alec Baldwin, and Martin Sheen
Directed by Martin Scorsese
