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Film Noir Review
"The Departed" is year’s
best film so far!
by Judy Marker, Movie Critic
Distinguished Director Martin Scorsese ("The Aviator") brings together one of the most powerful casts this century in "The Departed." A story so strong that it easily projects on the big screen as the year’s best major film to date.
This top list of stars is headed by Leonardo DiCaprio ("The Aviator"), Jack Nicholson ("Anger Management"), Matt Damon ("Syriana"), Mark Wahlberg ("Invincible"), Martin Sheen ("Catch Me If You Can") and Vera Farminga ("Running Scared"). Add Anthony Anderson ("Scary Movie 4") as well.
"The Departed" is a remake of the highly successful 2002 Hong Kong thriller "Infernal Affairs" that told the story of an undercover cop searching for a rogue cop working for the mob inside police headquarters.
Now set in Boston, "The Departed" will have you on the edge of your seat for most of its very fast two hour and 31 minute running time.
Loaded with strong brutal violence, pervasive language, some strong sexual content and drug use, "The Departed" is for mature adults only.
The superb and in many cases Oscar worthy performances should easily offset its very strong "R" rating.
William Monahan’s ("Kingdom of Heaven") screenplay empowers the cast to maximum efforts that can only be seen as amazing and note worthy. Seldom has so many "A" list performers meshed so well as to further enhance the movie.
This may well be a modern film classic.
Billy Costigan (DiCaprio) is a Massachusetts state police academy cadet who comes to the academy with questionable credentials.
With a family history of mob activity, it is a wonder he has been accepted.
It also makes him a perfect candidate for undercover work. His superior is Captain Queenan (Sheen) who will run him against the mob.
Also keeping a close watch on him is Dignam (Wahlberg), Queenan’s number two who tends to be foul mouthed and abusive in his style.
The center of their attention is South Boston crime boss Costello (Nicholson) who steals the movie with his portrayal as the ultimate evil.
His spectacular performance is perhaps the best in an outstanding career.
While the police are setting up Costigan to try to bring down the Irish mob, Costello has successfully infiltrated the police.
Colin Sullivan (Damon) not only turns out to be the top recruit in his class, but a rapidly rising star in the department.
Sullivan is given the task of uncovering the undercover officer in the mob while keeping Costello informed on pending activities against his organization.
Sullivan appears so perfect, he fools not only his live-in girlfriend Madolyn (Farminga) but all of his fellow agents but one including Captain Ellerby (Alec Baldwin "Fun with Dick and Jane") who simply cannot see Sullivan’s wrong doings.
Loaded with thrills and surprises, this is one violent drama that rises to a level of film making seldom seen.
That is why "The Departed" receives my highest rating of "5-J’s/See it now!" You might also want to see it again!!!
