THE DEPARTED

By the time 2006 rolled around, Martin Scorsese was already well established as Hollywood royalty, and his flair for the gangster genre was no secret. Many of the director's early films depict the crime system in America to be as glamorous and exciting as it is dark and sinister. More than pictures like "Goodfellas" and "Casino" however, "The Departed" keeps its focus on the gritty, dishonest, two-faced realities of organized crime, and how they permanently affect those involved. It weaves together the stories of two contrasting, yet equally deceitful, leading characters; materializing as one of the finest, most suspenseful gangster pictures ever made.

Leonardo DiCaprio and Matt Damon each deliver some of the best work of their careers as Billy Costigan and Colin Sullivan. DiCaprio's character is a newly commissioned member of the Massachusetts State Police who is assigned the hazardous mission of establishing a long-term undercover position in a powerful South Boston Irish crime syndicate. Conversely, Sullivan is a life-long associate of the mob who has been tactfully imbedded in the police force from a young age. The character is deeply connected with Frank Costello, the villainous kingpin of the neighborhood, who tasks Sullivan with identifying which member of the gang is a "rat" operating under cover for the State Police. As the characters become deeply rooted in their covert roles, Costigan becomes increasingly paranoid, while Sullivan's life, on the surface, appears to be unfairly ordinary.

The co-leads' performances oppose each other perfectly. DiCaprio delivers a sense of desperation and torment as his character is faced with the dangers of his undertaking. It is obvious that Costigan is tragically broken down by his mission, which make his heroism far more apparent at the end of the film. As Sullivan, Matt Damon brings the right amount of arrogance and moral disregard. Scorsese's supporting cast is additionally brilliant. As the twisted Frank Costello, Jack Nicholson appears to be the embodiment of evil. His looming hostility and unsettling dialogue blend to create one of the most menacing characters of Nicholson's career, and he has plenty of experience with menace. Mark Wahlberg shines in his critically acclaimed turn as the ill-tempered yet devoted "statie", Sergeant Dignam, whose large impact on the film is not apparent until its very last scene. Martin Sheen, Alec Baldwin, and Vera Farmiga round out the impressive ensemble.

Adapted from "Internal Affairs", a 2002 film out of Hong Kong, "The Departed" is considered to be one of the most successful international film adaptations to date. The story brings a considerable amount of darkness and tension. It differs from Scorsese films like "Goodfellas" in that it has relatively little lighthearted gangster banter. Instead, it centers on the complicated issues and questions about human nature and loyalty which surround its central characters. While most of the 151 minute runtime is meticulous and intricate, the film's final act delivers sudden thrills and impulsive action. In the span of a few minutes, characters and situations unravel in knee-jerk moments which shock the audience, but ultimately bring about a satisfying conclusion. We are left with a story about a hopeless, tragic hero, and his shallow, vain, and naive rival.

Martin Scorsese himself has said in the past that "The Departed" was the first film he ever directed that truly had a plot. To some extent, this could not be more true. The picture's plot is robust and enthralling. Through complex relationships and marginal loyalties, it takes the traditional cops and robbers and good versus evil structures and turns them on their heads. While Scorsese's crime-centered films of the 70's, 80's and 90's are often cited as some of his best work, "The Departed" deserves to be remembered as one of the most well-crafted films of his storied career.

RATING: 9.2/10