Martin Scorcese holds a very special place in my movie heart. I believe that he is one of the few directors out there, whose output constantly brims with quality and class.
With this in mind, I approached The Departed...
Apparently, this is a remake of the Japanese cop flick Infernal Affairs, a movie that I've heard of but never seen, so am unable to comment on how accurate or successful this Americanization is. What I will say is that the acting by the main protagonists is once again superb. Was I really watching Matt Damon shining in a role? I knew that Dicaprio could act, as can the always reliable Jack Nicholson, but Matt Damon? This guy is spot-on as the main character.
The script crackles with more than your average one liners and the story bristles along involving you from the very first frame. My only complaint is the length, which I feel could have been judiciously trimmed. Aside from that, this is Scorcese doing what he does best, telling a story with style, verve and humour - and extracting top notch performances from his stellar cast.
Recommendation: go see, but keep in mind that Marty likes his violence and there are some pretty bloody scenes throughout. If only he'd applied his talents to the editing process, this movie would have been ace.
Teacher's Rating
****½
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