Reviews by Matt

So who knew that Martin Scorsese could direct a comedy? O.K. so to classify “The Departed” as a comedy isn't exactly accurate, but it has some genuinely funny moments. It still is one of the best movies I have seen in a long time. The story centers around Billy Costigan (Leonardo Dicaprio), a cop fresh out of the academy who, because of his family’s violent and criminal history, is recruited by Oliver Queenan (Martin Sheen) and hot headed Digman (Mark Wahlberg) to go undercover with Frank Costello (Jack Nicholson.) Meanwhile, another fresh cop, Colin Sullivan (Matt Damon) is working with Costello by tipping him off to the goings on in the department. The tension mounts as both sides realize they have rats within their organizations. Costigan and Sullivan both have to fight to keep their identities hidden.

I’m going to level with you here; I have no idea where to being. There are so many great performances and the directing and use of camera is the best I have seen in a long time. This is the best looking, best acted, best directed movie I have seen this year. I know it’s cliché to say, but this is one of the best films of the year.

Jack Nicholson gives THE performance of the movie. This is the first time that Scorsese has done a movie with Nicholson and from the looks of it, it will not be the last. Frank Costello is a despicable character. No matter what he does, the cops can’t do anything about it. Costello has the people he needs in the right place to insure he is never caught. He is so confident that he is untouchable that he even goes to deals himself. The huge risk is nothing to him. He knows that he has people who he can trust to get him out of a situation where he could get caught. There is one scene where Queenan and Digman confront him. They say that he is going to get caught and it’s only a matter of time. He basically laughs in their faces and walks off to commit another crime. Nicholson plays him with such a confidence and sick twisted humor that you just can’t help but think that the bad guy may actually win in this movie.

Robert De Niro was going to play Costello, but because of prior commitments, he had to drop out. To be honest, while he would have done a great job, I’m glad he didn’t do the role. I think that he would have brought a different take to the character, but one that he has done before. I imagine that he would have played him a lot like Ace in “Casino,” (another Scorsese movie). I think Nicholson brought something to this role that De Niro could not have; a different type of mobster. They both have these personas when they are in movies that have made them the icons they are, Nicholson brought his cool-guy persona and made himself a mobster.

Some of the other standout performances go to Damon and Dicaprio. Both are great in their roles of rats. It is strange, but the two main characters have very little interaction. That is what makes their scenes together all the more powerful. These two guys who grew up in very different households, took the same job, but ended up on different sides of the law (good mobster and bad cop). The battle between them is not physical, but ideological. Costigan became a cop because he was trying to leave the legacy of crime in his family behind him. Sullivan is doing what ever he can to get ahead. They remain the polar opposites and are constantly battling, even when they are not on screen together.

As for why this movie is so funny, well that falls to Mark Wahlberg. Wish I could give some examples, but he tends to curse a lot, and as I must keep this PG rated, I will ask you to just trust me. Digman is a hot head. He will go off on anyone and speak his mind to anyone, even an FBI agent. He brings a toughness that Queenan cannot. He wants to make sure that Costigan is up for the job, so he questions him about what scum his family was. He never lets up, even when Costigan is undercover. Costigan goes to him with information that there may be a rat in the department and a way to figure out who it is, but Digman shoots him down.

This is up there with some of Scorsese’s best movies. It feels a lot like “Goodfellas,” with a new perspective. I must say as much as I love this movie, it still is a remake. It is a remake of a Japanese movie called “Internal Affairs.” Having never seen the original, I cannot comment on how they differ, or what Scorsese brought to the movie that was not there before. What I can say is the Scorsese knows how to shoot a mob movie. He has done it before and made some great, classic movies. He knows how to build tension. In on scene, in particular, Costigan needs to get a look at he man who is the rat, but Sullivan keeps ahead of him. We never know if these two are going to confront, but the pace of the scene keeps you riveted.

So what if this is a remake, not many people actually know that. I’m sure if you asked someone on the street, they would have no idea. It is still a damn good movie. In a time where horrible remakes, sequels and cookie cutter movies are being churned out with little regard for what audiences want to see, this is a welcome break. It is great on so many levels. The performances are some of the best theses actors have ever delivered, and Scorsese has returned to a genera that made him famous; the mob movie.


9 out of 10
Rated R for strong brutal violence, pervasive language, some strong sexual content and drug material.
Runtime:152 min