The Departed (2006)

O An excellent must-see
X Good rental choice
O Mediocre
O Rent something else

Review by Jason Pyles / April 27, 2007

“The Departed,” won the Academy Award for Best Picture of 2006, a victory it earned.

“The Departed” is an American adaptation of a 2002 Hong Kong film called “Internal Affairs.” The story is set in an Irish neighborhood in Boston. Frank Costello (Jack Nicholson) is an organized crime boss who guides a young man, Colin Sullivan (Matt Damon), to become a state-police detective — and more importantly — Costello’s informant. Billy Costigan (Leonardo DiCaprio), another state-police graduate, is sent undercover into Costello’s liar to be an informant for the police.

“The Departed” is a crime drama about two rats spying within two organizations that badly wish to know their identities. The tension surpasses suspense and becomes downright scary.

Even the edited version of “The Departed” is gritty: racial slurs, hand-to-hand combat and shooting violence, blood, a steamy kissing scene, etc. But I would warn edited movie viewers of a scene where an important conversation takes place inside of a pornographic movie theater. No images from the screen are shown, but in the background of the conversation, the pornographic movie’s soundtrack is audible.

“The Departed” has complex plot developments, so the deleted parts make it choppy and somewhat difficult to follow.

Directed by Martin Scorsese
Jack Nicholson / Leonardo DiCaprio / Matt Damon
151 min. Crime / Drama
(Original MPAA rating: R)
Edited version age recommendation: 18 and up

DVD release date: February 13, 2007
Copyright 2007.
JP0090 : 198