Well this probably defines everything about Departed. Remake of Hong Kong thriller Infernal Affairs. The difference being Martin Scorsese, the man behind great movies like Raging Bull and Taxi Driver.
Jack Nicholson plays the role of Frank Costello an Irish gang chief in South Boston. Costello recruits Colin played by Matt Damon to infiltrate into the Massachusetts State Police Department. With the support of the Irish Mafia Don, Matt Damon rises fast in the Police Department and soon enters the Special Investigation Unit , which, ironically is aimed at exposing the mobster. Capt. Queenan (played by Martin Sheen) and the foul mouthed Sgt. Dignam (Mark Wahlberg) have other plans and they recruit Billy Costigan (Leonardo DiCaprio) to infiltrate Costello’s top structure. Thus two newbies from Massachusetts Police Department who were once training together are engaged in opposite roles(Bad Cop or a Good Gangster??). With both the sides discovering that they have a traitor within the rat race begins with both Matt Damon and Dicaprio needing to urgently discover the other coping with an extremely onerous double life to cope up with. Vera Farmia plays the role of Madolyn the department psychiatrist who is also involved in a love triangle with Colin and Costigan. Though not expected in a gangster movie even this blends nicely with the movie without spoiling it.
All characters are a perfect fit in this movie. DiCaprio delivers one of his best performances so does Matt Damon. Supporting actors are up to the challenge too. Mark Wahlberg’s role as Sgt. Dignam deserves praise. Nicholson is in a league of his own when it comes to acting. Even the opening line reveals a lot about this diabolical villain, "I don't want to be a product of my environment. I want my environment to be a product of me." Electrifying and intriguing as always, his performance shows why men like Robert De Niro and Jack Nicholson are rare in the world of cinema.
Arguably one of the best films of 2006,with a myriad of stars, a movie like departed promises to deliver. Even the very final scene of movie praises the brilliance of men like Scorsese. The film ends with a lone rat crawling on the apartment's balcony railing, which frames the gold dome of the Massachusetts State House in the background. A rat in the police department cannot have a more “literal” sense than that. If you have already watched infernal affairs you would have probably known the plot and the ending, but this film is still worth a watch. Martin Scorsese proves why academy awards are made for movies in the first place.
Another brilliant movie my friend. I simply loved it- DiCaprio and Matt Damon are always good, and Nicholson was extraordinary in his role as the Mafia Kingpin. Captain Queenan and Seargant Dignam were excellent too. This was one class movie- rats in both circles trying to outwit each other. It comes under one of my favourites, and I strongly recommend everybody to watch it.
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