It’s not very often that the opening of a movie gets me that excited that I just have to see it on its debut day. All the buzz for Scorsese’s ‘The Departed’ has been overwhelmingly positive with grandiose comparisions to his 1991 classic ‘Goodfellas’. Like the aforementioned ‘Goodfellas’, ‘The Departed’ chugs along at a blistering pace with vintage Scorcese direction and some damn fine cinematography setting the pace for this brutal crime drama. With an outstanding cast at his disposal (Jack Nicholson, Matt Damon, Leonardo DiCaprio et al), Scorcese brings forth a tale of contemporary crime fiction that will leave you spellbound and transfixed to the screen. Starring is Matt Damon as Colin, a Massachusetts Police officer with a hidden agenda. He’s a rat, working for Boston’s top gangster Frank Costello (Jack Nicholson). Colin’s a worker and he rises through the State Police ranks rapidly, tipping off Costello at every stop along the way. But there’s a problem. He’s not the only rat in the picture. The Cops have their own mole, an undercover officer working deep inside Costello’s organization. His name is William Costigan, (Leonardo DiCaprio). It’s not long before everyone figures out they’ve been compromised, and the shit hits the fan as both rats on either side of the law scramble to find and take out each other. Rivetting!
Any film starring Jack Nicholson will always deserve a look at and his new movie, The Departed, is no exception. Even at 69 years old, Nicholson is the most interesting character in this film. I definately recommend this flick.