The Departed

Could finally got to watch this eagerly awaited movie. Didnt want to see this one on DVD and spoil the whol;e fun hence waited till the theatres here finally decided top play the oscar winning movie.
The fact that it had won 4 oscars didnt really makes any difference to me. but i was astounded by this hard hitting thriller. The whole time the tension of the characters were as if spilling over to the audience.

It looks like a perfect match. And for the most part, it is, but not for the expected reasons.
The thought was that premier American director Martin Scorsese would take the unbridled energy found in his dynamic "Goodfellas," "Mean Streets," and "Taxi Driver" and fuse it with the intricate, morally challenging, character-driven Hong Kong film "Infernal Affairs." Toss in a superb, once-in-a-lifetime male-heavy cast, flavorful Boston settings, and a polished production, and the result would naturally be a combustible hybrid.
This meeting does sparkle, but the curve comes when Scorsese shows off a good, old-fashioned ability to simply tell a story. But he obvious includes plenty of fireworks in this work that calls for it, as well as some trademark acts of bloody brutality and some sadistic nastiness. And, of course, he still has the ability to shock with the unexpected image, such as a severed hand in a plastic bag.
The story of "The Departed," and Siu Fai Maks original, is simple, brilliant, full of plot holes, and one that lends itself to action, psychological introspection, black humor, and maybe even a little romance. Scorsese teams with screenwriter William Monahan to make the Asian thriller into a New England mean streets face-off, filled with rapid story-telling, short, quick scenes, and a rhythm that allows for no lag time.
Jack Nicholson hams it to the skies as Frank Costello, long-time Boston mob boss. Sadistic, mean, and impotent, he takes young Colin Sullivan (Matt Damon) under his protection at an early age, easily steering him into a role as an informer when he joins the states detective squad.
Leonardo DiCaprio again proves to be one of todays most talented young actors, playing Billy Costigan, a local Irish lad who goes through the police academy before going undercover with only the knowledge of his two closest superiors (Martin Sheen and Mark Wahlberg--good in a one-note role). After a trumped up stay in jail, Costigan weasels his way into Costellos good graces as a cop-gone-bad, learning about the intricacies of Costellos far reaching activities.
Tension immediately rises, proving that putting one person in danger is never as good as putting two. Sullivan lies his way through various busts that go bad because of his behind the scenes maneuvering. But when Costigan is anywhere near madman Costello, he risks his life constantly, falling close to discovery several times. Scorsese uses Costigan to keep the tension level at its highest, only coming down to orchestrate his trademark scenes of balletic violence.
Vera Farmiga plays the shrink caught between the two handsome young lead actors, and Alec Baldwin explodes in his role as a supervisor, while Ray Winstone makes a convincing Irish thug.
Its not typical Scorsese, but its polished, compelling movie-making.