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Movie Review: The Departed

What's the first movie that comes to your mind when you see Mark Wahlberg on screen? Does it ring a bell?? Oh, I know, I know, he was in this movie; Arre yaar, I just can't get the name. How can I forget???

The answer, folks, is The Italian Job. This I figured out after one full day of watching Scorsese's The Departed.

The Departed is the fourth Scorsese movie I've watched after The Avaitor, Goodfellas and Cape Fear. And I can say that it is as good, if not better than any of these with a star line up of Matt Damon, DiCaprio, Jack Nicholson and a cop-mob plot that redefines deceit and deception.

Synopsis:

Mark Wahlberg and Matt Damon The plot isn't all that complicated. You've got a sadistic Irish Mob Boss Frank Costello (Nicholson) and a team of good cops, Captain Queenan (Martin Sheen) and a rough, ever-the-foul-mouthed sergeant (Mark Wahlberg). In the middle of all this are two moles placed in each other's camps- Bill (Leo DiCaprio), a young Irish kid working for Queenan, and Colin Sullivan (Damon) placed inside the Police Department by Costello. Their existence is known, but not their identity and thus starts a rat race to uncover each other.

Leonardo DiCaprio and Jack Nicholson in The Departed.

Leonardo DiCaprio and Jack Nicholson in The Departed.
© Warner Bros Pictures

It's Jack Nicholson's movie all the way. He is fearsome, he is evil, he is maniacal. The rest are all around him. Leonardo DiCaprio, working with Scorsese the third time is absolutely brilliant. Matt Damon was good playing the charming, greedy starcop. But the best package in the movie was Mark Wahlberg who gives profanity a new dimension. The only disaster, I could say, was Vera Farmiga, the psychiatrist who didn't seem to have any role at all. Why was she in the movie in first place is beyond my comprehension. But it doesn't matter one bit in the end amidst all the wonderful performances.

My two best moments from the film:

The conversation(?) between Bill and Collin over their cell phones. It's the silence that conveys the most- the fear that surrounds both the characters, Bill is scared shitless- he can feel Costello breathing down his neck and Collin can't believe his luck- will he be able to get to this rat?

The second, I guess is when somebody asks Wahlberg who he is. And boy, how he replies! "Who am I? I'm the guy that does his fuckin' job! You must be the other guy!"

Related: Bourne Identity, A Lot Like Love

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Comments

desh said…
dint read the full thing will see it first
though th movie shud b nice
poor guy Scorsese hasn't won the Oscar till now...the best guy not to win one they say

Anyway the main thng that followed the movie was not blogged, I was looking up to how u describe Kareena's hand :P
Anonymous said…
Heya, didn't read the review because am dying to go see the movie myself (I usually don't read reviews before as I think they kinda spoil the fun)...

That being said, I did read the beginning of the post - and here's my answer - I think of Marky Mark and the funky bunch singing "You give me.. Good Vibrations"...oh oh ah...
enginerd said…
Desh, I just have this feeling that he might win it this time. There seems hardly any competition for him this year.
And yes, I ain't writing about any Bollywood celebrity I happen to meet. That'd be disastrous :P

Melody, somehow I always make it a point to know the plot before I watch a movie. And Marky Mark! Wow!!
Martin said…
It's an excellent film indeed.

Jack ruled, of course, but, and I've been saying this for a long time, Leonardo DiCaprio is the best actor of his generation.

And that Mark Wahlberg line was my best moment, too.

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