The Departed

If you haven't yet seen the #1 movie in America (this week at least) you should. It combines humor, tension and violence in a compelling fashion unlike any other movie I've seen recently. Having not seen 'Infernal Affairs', I was on the edge of my seat, and remained shocked at the twists and turns all the way to the end.

Let me note that I went into this a little skeptical regarding the selection of pretty boy leads Damon and DiCaprio, versus Scorsese's usual practice of leveraging more 'authentic' actors. Nuts to that. You forget that these two guys are actually superb at their craft, and Scorsese seems to have gotten the best out of them. The emotional volleys felt real and authentic.

There was some killer acting done by the rest of the cast from Jack Nicholson, in one of his best recent roles, to an absolutely hilarious performance by Mark Walberg. Alec Baldwin, bloated and sloppy is also outstanding.

The great thing about Scorsese is that he gets great guys for the gig. And I don't just mean big names like Martin Sheen who plays a major supporting role. Ray Winston? (From Sexy Beast) David O Hara? (Crazy Irish fuck from Braveheart).

Beyond the craft of the film is an exploration of morality as it relates to violence, honesty and loyalty. The audience itself sees its own shortcomings (on a smaller scale) in the ebb and flow of right and wrong posited by the characters and their individual circumstances. At the heart of this is the essential human drive for self preservation. Survival, at what cost? There are no good guys in this story, at least measured by a life lead without malicious injury to others. What makes us who we are and what side are we on? What if the circumstances were different? You see the facades of either character morph into that of the other. It is a thing of brilliance.

Even beyond all this contemplation, you will be entertained. Significantly. From the crisp commonwealth vernacular to the brilliant pacing in the final act. This is a movie worth going to see in the theatre. Hopefully you guys will give it a shot.