Genre: Thriller/Gangster

Director: Martin Scorsese

Certificate: The Departed was rated 16's by the Irish Film Censor's Office (www.ifco.ie) i.e. suitable for those of 16 years of age or upwards.

Violence = strong. Drugs = moderate. Sex/Nudity = moderate. Language = strong.

OFFICIAL WEBSITE: The Departed

The setting is Boston in the 70's where cops and criminals fight to get their share of power and money.  The main characters - Colin Sullivan (Damon), Billy Costigan (Di Caprio) and Frank Costello (Nicholson) - are supposed to be on the two different sides of the social divide, the first two being policemen while Costello is the number one gangster in town, but as a matter of fact they have strong moral and worldly links.

What is most disappointing is Nicholson's performance - as the story unfolds he becomes more and more Jack and less and less Costello.  Not all his fault though as Scorsese's camera spends too much time focusing on the face of the Hollywood star - maybe because he realises there isn't much more to focus on.

Di Caprio redeems this mediocre movie.  For the first time in his career he goes beyond his trademark handsome-and-vulnerable-boy persona, adding to Billy Costingan's character the psychological depth of a young cop appalled by the thrill he gets by acting as a violent villain.  While Billy risks loosing his identity, Di Caprio finds his maturity as an actor.  This is, indeed, Di Caprio's first 'grown-up' role.

The two and a half hour film is not a masterpiece - not by a long shot - and in the pulp-movie finale, the audience laughs because the violence, as well as the foul language are way over the top - like in a B-movie. 

Reviewed by Claudia Sandroni, Premier Movie Reviews 2006

RELATED MOVIE REVIEWS:

MARTIN SCORSESE: Gangs Of New York,  The Aviator.  LEONARDO DI CAPRIO: Catch Me If You Can,  Gangs Of New York,  The Aviator.  MATT DAMON: Ocean's Eleven,  Ocean's Twelve,  Syriana,  The Bourne Identity,  The Bourne Supremacy,  The Legend of Bagger Vance,  The Talented Mr. Ripley.  JACK NICHOLSON: Something's Gotta Give.  MARK WAHLBERG: Planet Of The Apes,  Rock Star,  The Italian Job,  The Perfect Storm.  MARTIN SHEEN: Catch Me If You Can.  RAY WINSTONE: Cold Mountain,  King Arthur,  The Chronicles Of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch And The Wardrobe (voice).  VERA FARMIGA: The Manchurian Candidate.

• Leonardo Di Caprio
• Jack Nicholson
• Matt Damon
• Mark Wahlberg
• Martin Sheen
• Ray Winstone
• Vera Farmiga

ONLY IF YOU HAVE NOTHING BETTER TO DO

The Departed is a remake of Hong Kong crime thriller Infernal Affairs (2003).  The two movies share the same screen writer, Siu Fai Mak, who also co-directed Infernal Affairs.

For tax reasons, the producers decided to shoot most of the scenes in New York.

The 'f-word' and its derivatives are used well over 200 times throughout the movie!