THE DEPARTED

directed by Martin Scorsese

screenplay by William Monahan

Film Editing by Thelma Schoonmaker

Cinematography by Michael Ballhaus
Original Music by Howard Shore

MAJOR 5:
Jack Nicholson .... Frank Costello
Leonardo DiCaprio .... Billy Costigan
Matt Damon .... Colin Sullivan
Mark Wahlberg .... Dignam
Vera Farmiga .... Madolyn

MINOR 3:
Robert Wahlberg .... Lazio
Martin Sheen .... Oliver Queenan
Alec Baldwin .... Ellerby
Robert Yun Chan .... Triad Boss

Produced by
Jennifer Aniston and Brad Grey
and Graham King and Brad Pitt

KEVIN'S REVIEW (opening night): Simply, the best movies in months. A tough, gritty, violent American movie. Ironic since it's based on INFERNAL AFFAIRS, a Hong Kong violent movie. There's a lot of people in this movie, and everyone is lying about something and you don't know where their loyalty is at, no doubt a scathing indictment of USA 2006. It starts with two Boston cop hopefuls fresh out of the Academy. Costigan (Leo) is enticed by Dignam (Mark Wahlberg) and Queenan to work undercover against Boston mob boss Costello (Jack Nicholson) and Sullivan (Matt Damon) starts to leak information to Costello. Costigan has to see a shrink (Vera Farmiga) and Sullivan wants to date the pretty, blue-eyed shrink. The Departed is really about how common sense has left the building quicker than Elvis. Oscar nominations should go immediately for Best Direction, Best Editing, Jack Nicholson and Mark Wahlberg. Why? It's a story that sucks you right into this crazy world. It's violent. The absurd scene in the Pakistani shop where Costigan goes nuts and takes out those two guys trying to collect protection money. Sullivan's chatting up the shrink and then losing romantic interest as his job starts to consume him. The usual problem in undercover movies is how does anyone actually believe they are undercover; MIAMI HEAT suffered badly in this regard. Here, we have two undercover, one cop giving information to Costello, another cop trying to take down Costello. And director Martin Scorsese never misses a beat. The use of phones and text messaging is very interesting here. But the knock-out power is Jack Nicholson. They give him free rein to create a remarkable boss. Out of control, nuts, yet in charge, nasty, violent, kind and considerate to some (the young Sullivan in the store), definitive, manic, funny. did I miss anything? He alone is reason to enjoy this movie. The violence is another reason. It turns on a dime, and the ending is incredible and satisfying. The music score is just right without ever interferring and the cinematography captures the seedier underbelly of Boston well. I liked the Chinatown red neon light. Oscar nom for film editing. The editing was strange but good. It took it's time when it needed to, with the love story and the undercover Leo with Costello. And it was fast short cuts when the intensity of something heightened especially with Sullivan text messaging Costello. Some may think it's a trifle long, but there's little fat wasted. It's a sprawling story with a lot of people and action; it takes time to do it justice. I loved this movie, and have to see it again soon to get how the jigsaw fits together to knock Costello off first base.