The Departed (2006)

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The Departed (2006)

8/10

Starring

Leonardo DiCaprio

Matt Damon

Jack Nicholson

Directed by Martin Scorsese

The Departed is a movie that I can tell you that you will enjoy from the get go. The way the story unfolds is not going to be the way you would have expected it to go, that is the beauty of it.

Hollywood would have loved to take credit for this masterpiece story, but The Departed is a remake (a great remake if I can say so myself) of a Hong Kong crime thriller in 2002 called Internal Affairs written by Alan Mak and Felix Chong. It was directed by Andrew Lau and Alan Mak.

The Departed is an almost story for story replica of the Hong Kong version, which received critical acclaim for its original plot and its concise and swift storytelling style.

The Departed also achieved critical acclaim, winning four Oscars for Best Picture, Best Director (Martin Scorsese), Best Adapted Screenplay and Best Film Editing.

The movie is filled with a wonderful cast, with each bringing their a-game. In The Departed we had Leonardo DiCaprio, Matt Damon, Jack Nicholson, and Mark Wahlberg, with Martin Sheen, Ray Winstone, Vera Farmiga, Anthony Anderson, and Alec Baldwin in supporting roles.

The film's plot takes place in Boston, where Irish Mob boss Francis "Frank" Costello (Jack Nicholson), trains a young boy Colin Sullivan (Matt Damon) and plants him as a mole in the Massachusetts State Police. Ironically, at the same time, the police assign undercover trooper William "Billy" Costigan (Leonardo DiCaprio) to infiltrate Costello's crew, Billy's identity is kept from all, and only Capt. Oliver Charles Queenan (Martin Sheen) and Staff Sgt. Sean Dignam (Mark Wahlberg) were aware of his identity.

Soon both sides realize that there was a mole in their midst, prompting both Sullivan and Billy to try and discover the other's true identity before his own cover is blown.

All through the movie, there is this father and son relationship theme being presented, with Sullivan having Costello as his father figure and Billy having Queenan to be like his father figure, as both fathers were dead.

Although Internal Affairs sprung out two sequels Internal Affairs II and Internal Affairs III I don’t think that this great movie will have a sequel, even though the movie was a commercial success. It is a nice one off film and they should live it as such.

If you have not been privileged to have seen The Departed, hurry to the video store now, and get this movie you will be glad you did.