Posted by
Emmett of the Unblinking Eye on Friday, October 06, 2006 6:46:07 PM
"
The Departed" is, quite simply, one of the best, most powerful and most watchable movies of the year. Jack Nicholson plays Frank Costello, the most feared and powerful member of the Irish mafia in Boston, as a vicious, devious, conflicted miscreant who keeps his kingdom in check through force and fear. He befriends and recruits a young boy (Matt Damon, in his best and most complex role since
Good Will Hunting) in to his gang, and ultimately into the State Police force. While Damon is reporting the police activities to Nicholson, the police have placed their own informant (Leonardo DiCaprio, who is slowly proving himself to be a fine actor and, in one scene at least, a sort of junior Nicholson) smack in the middle of Nicholson's crew. Who's going to be found out first?
"
The Departed" is brilliantly directed, wonderfully written and well-deserving of its hard "R" rating. If you are squeamish about violence and language, don't go. If you're not, and want to see once of the three best pictures so far this year, go out and see it on the big screen.