Stars Shine in The Departed

Sex, drugs, guns, and Jack Nicholson's devilish-grin, what more does a film need?

With the combination of entertaining comedic-dialogue and ingenious directing from Martin Scorsese, the star-studded cast from the 2006 film The Departed help produce one of the most riveting and memorable movies of the decade.

Starring Nicholson, Leonardo DiCaprio, Matt Damon, Mark Walberg, Martin Sheen, and Alec Baldwin, The Departed constantly leaves viewers on the edge of their seats and, at times, left with their mouths gaped open in awe.

Set in Boston Massachusetts, the film is a gangster-tale that features under-cover police officers (DiCaprio), corrupted detectives (Damon), and crime-bosses (Nicholson) all intertwined together in a story that keeps viewers guessing as to what will happen from scene-to-scene.

Adapting a 2002 Chinese film Internal Affairs, Scorsese's directing of The Departed instantly puts in the same echelon as his previous films, Taxi Driver (1976), Raging Bull (1980), and Goodfellas (1990).

The all-star cast work extremely well together and, without losing their own individual appeal and creativity, combine together to feed off each other's work.

DiCaprio stands out in the film, and his evolution as a "class-A" Hollywood actor becomes apparent with the way he tackles the role. Known for his "not-so-manly" roles in Titanic and Romeo and Juliet, DiCaprio becomes separated from his teen-heart-throb persona and completely embodies his role as a vulnerable, yet completely tough and resilient under-cover police officer.
DiCaprio, who appears in his third Scorsese film (Gangs of New York [2002] and Aviator [2004]), captivates the audience and with his passion and talent. He creates a connection with the audience and his character, and arguably delivers his best performance of his acting career.

Damon seems perfectly suited and comfortable in his roll. The swagger and arrogance of his character is pulled off brilliantly, and Damon leaves the audience resenting and disliking his corrupted character through his quality acting.

Nicholson delivers some of his trademark moments throughout the film including his evil -grinning personality, reminiscent of his 1980 performance in The Shining, and an array of slick and masterful monologues that have become accustomed to Nicholson in much of his work.

The Departed is a fast paced film that contains large amounts of profanity, and blood-spilling-action, yet remains an intelligent and completely appealing film that will undoubtedly be remembered as one of the top movies in the short history of the 21st century.