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The Departed (2007, HD DVD)

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Movie Description
Director Martin Scorsese returns to his trademark style with the violent, bruised, and bloody feature THE DEPARTED. Scorsese filched the basic storyline from Wai Keung Lau and Siu Fai Mak's masterful 2002 Hong Kong action film, INFERNAL AFFAIRS, which saw a policeman going undercover as a mob member and a mob member infiltrating the police force. Scorsese transfers the action to Boston, positioning Leonardo Di Caprio as undercover cop William Costigan and Matt Damon as undercover mobster Colin Sullivan. While Costigan and Sullivan get into plenty of nail-biting situations that almost reveal their true identities, Scorsese gradually unravels his strong supporting cast, including Jack Nicholson as Sullivan's mob boss, Frank Costello; Ray Winstone as Costello's meat-headed muscle; Mark Wahlberg as a hot-headed police sergeant; and Vera Farmiga as a love interest for both Damon and DiCaprio's characters.

THE DEPARTED finds Scorsese generously dipping his toes back into waters that will be warmly familiar to his biggest fans. Rolling Stones songs pepper the soundtrack, recalling the remarkable "Jumpin' Jack Flash" sequence in MEAN STREETS; bullets and blood punctuate every key scene, bringing TAXI DRIVER's explosive finale to mind; and the mobster-themed storyline is a thrilling return to GOODFELLAS territory. Nicholson and Winstone provide acting master-classes every time they appear, neatly complementing the blossoming talents of DiCaprio, Damon, and Wahlberg, while further veteran support comes in small roles for Martin Sheen and Alec Baldwin. Scorsese is often criticized for affording precious little screen time to female characters, and THE DEPARTED won't quell those dissenting voices, although Farmiga's character proves to be more than a match for DiCaprio and Damon's posturings. But Scorsese followers who balked at his diversions into documentary filmmaking (NO DIRECTION HOME) and period epics (THE AVIATOR) will be delighted to find raw male machismo puncturing the screen once again in this frenetic entry into his celebrated oeuvre.

Credits
Producer:	Brad Grey, Brad Pitt, Graham King, Jennifer Aniston
Cast:	Alec Baldwin, Jack Nicholson, Leonardo DiCaprio, Mark Wahlberg, Martin Sheen, Matt Damon, Ray Winstone, Vera Farmiga

Editorial Reviews
"THE DEPARTED is splattered with moments of pure, dead-eyed, blood-soaked Scorsesean violence....Nicholson provides a menace that's half silky, half seedy." -- Grade: A-
Entertainment Weekly - Lisa Schwarzbaum (10/13/2006)

4 stars out of 5 -- "DiCaprio fully justifies his place as Marty's new muse....[He delivers] THE DEPARTED's most dangerous turn."
Total Film - Jamie Graham (11/01/2006)

"The speed and Mr. Scorsese's sureness of touch, particularly when it comes to carving up space with the camera, keep the plot's hall of mirrors from becoming a distraction."
New York Times - Manohla Dargis (10/06/2006)

4 stars out of 4 -- "The actors bring their A games to this triumphant bruiser of a film, its darkly wanton wit the only defense against complete chaos."
Rolling Stone - Peter Travers (10/19/2006)

"[A] juicy and enjoyable gangster picture. It has generous salty humour, tremendous narrative drive, an absorbingly complex plot of multiple betrayal, and a roster of entertaining actors."
Sight and Sound - Nick James (12/01/2006)

"Martin Scorsese here succeeds in creating a bleak picture with a fatalistic Irish sensibility."
Box Office - John P. McCarthy (12/01/2006)

Included in Premiere's "10 Best Movies Of The Year" -- "[With] enough bravura acting for a dozen such pictures..."
Premiere - Glenn Kenny (01/01/2007)

Ranked #1 in Rolling Stone's "The 10 Best Movies Of 2006" -- "[A] model of what directing is when craft rises to the level of art."
Rolling Stone - Peter Travers (12/28/2006)

Included in Entertainment Weekly's "Top 10 Films Of The Year" -- "Scorsese's got the best of men at the tops of their games. THE DEPARTED is this year's meatiest movie diversion."
Entertainment Weekly - Lisa Schwarzbaum (12/29/2006)

Ranked #1 in Film Comment's "20 Best Films Of 2006."
Film Comment - Film Comment Staff (01/01/2007)

"[T]his 'gangster movie' feels like a direct emanation from a society in a state of severe moral disorientation....THE DEPARTED reminds us that if there's truly an enemy, it's within."
Film Comment - Film Comment Staff (01/01/2007)

4 stars out of 4 -- "[I]t's a rare treat for moviegoers to see six major actors, all in strong roles, together in one movie."
USA Today - Mike Clark (02/16/2007)

5 stars out of 5 -- "DiCaprio stands tall, even when sharing the screen with Nicholson....THE DEPARTED is his master class..."
Ultimate DVD - David Richardson (03/01/2007)

5 stars out of 5 -- "[W]ith Nicholson and DiCaprio together on screen for the first time, a performance masterclass is assured."
Ultimate DVD - David Richardson (07/01/2007)

Awards
2006Academy AwardsBest Adapted ScreenplayWilliam Monahan, 2006Academy AwardsBest DirectorMartin Scorsese, 2006Academy AwardsBest Picture

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One Cop, Two Cop, Three Cop, Four- Is He a Cop Anymore??

Review created: 03/14/07

by: lyoness913-- a member of Epinions and Advisor in Movies

Pros:
Action, plot, acting

Cons:
harsh language, lots of gore

I finally watched The Departed on DVD. I had long awaited seeing this Scorsese film as I believe that Scorsese is always masterful and I love mob movies so to speak. I had read reviews from fellow Epinionators but I really didn t couldn t fathom how simply fantastic the film would be. After watching, I immediately went out and bought the movie as well.

The Story

Frank Costello (Jack Nicholson) is a sort of blue collar mob king pin. He has contacts throughout the police department and he runs his neighbourhood with a reign of terror. He and his thugs demand money from merchants, steal, murder and are proud to be completely crooked in South Boston.

Billy Costigan (Leo DiCaprio) is a wanna-be cop. Because of his checkered past and a few red flags, the powers that be (played by two tough cops Martin Sheen and Mark Wahlberg), decide it s better for him to work undercover. Way undercover. He must first have a felony on his record and then he must go to work for Frank Costello to be on the inside.

Colin Sullivan (Matt Damon) grows up in the neighbourhood and begins working for Frank at an early age. When he later becomes a cop, he is tied to Frank very tightly. Although he enjoys Frank s money as he lives in a giant apartment overlooking the city, he is still nonetheless Frank s lackey.

Madelyn (Vera Farminga) is a psychologist for the police and for violent criminals. She falls in love with Colin and moves in with him, yet Billy s her patient as well.

The story takes many turns and becomes more and more connected as it goes on. Billy is full of rage and he fears for his life as he becomes closer and closer to Frank. Colin also fears for his life, because if he doesn t do what Frank wants him to do, he will be killed. Both men are on opposite ends of the spectrum but they work for the same employer. The film gets more and more intense until the inevitable ending where everyone s goal is to find out who the rat is.

My Thoughts

I normally am not a big Leo DiCaprio fan but I must say, his performance in The Departed is right up there with his performance in What s Eating Gilbert Grape?. He was absolutely fantastic at playing the role of an undercover cop who felt copious amounts of stress. I loved Matt Damon s character because he was totally convincing as a slick, crooked, dirty cop. I also loved that he used his South Boston accent in this film (it took me back to my favourite film, Good Will Hunting).

Nicholson was phenomenal as per usual. He plays all of his parts with utmost grace and perfect character. The audience will love to hate him in The Departed.

The was the story was presented was absolutely incredible. Scorsese is most brilliant when it comes to the organized crime genre. He makes you wonder how often this kind of thing happens in real life. How many cops are working for criminals and how many are honest? With this totally believable script, it will be the question on the viewer s mind after watching the movie.

Everything ties together perfectly at the end.

There was a lot of gore/blood/filthy language so I would recommend this to adults only.

5 great big fat stars

Review ID: 10000000004524811

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