The Departed
the deadly(buzz) - spikeprint
In a twisted and inventive plot line, the opposing side of crime and law mix and mingle in a game of cat and mouse. Billy Costigan (Di Caprio) has a chequered past, making him the ideal candidate for an undercover officer. Colin O Sullivan (Damon) is a detective who is also a mole for the crime boss Frank Costello, for whom Costigan is working. Sounds confusing? Well in a movie that could be split into two separate entities, you need to keep your eyes firmly fixed on the screen. Based on the Hong Kong thriller Infernal Affairs, Scorsese offers us his interpretation rather than a straight forward remake. And what a remake it is. The storylines work in tandem, with the involved characters getting so close they can probably smell each other. The tension is high, with each working to flush the other one out, moving the movie to a frenetic pace. There are also the truly wonderful acting performances too. Matt Damon has matured and left the baggage of Ben Affleck firmly in the past. And Di Caprio has proved he can tackle a much meatier roll than he's got on his skinny frame. In fact the whole film is perfectly cast, with a notable performance from Mark Wahlberg being the cherry on the top. Not Scorseses best work (those awards go to Goodfellas and Raging Bull) it is way above par of the movies on offer. A few plot holes near the end let the story down but overall it is one of the best movies you'll see this year.
Review published on the 28 February 2007 17:21
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