This riveting, gritty film finds Martin Scorsese back in top form, dealing with the mean streets he seems to know and love so well. This time, however, the director tells a story set in Boston rather than his native New York City. Woody Allen’s recent Match Point, filmed in London, was his most successful movie in a long time. Perhaps Scorsese and Allen offer evidence that New Yorkers need to get out of town occasionally to be rejuvenated.

The Departed is based on the Hong Kong crime flick Mou gaan dou (2002), aka Infernal Affairs. You could scarcely call it a remake -- it’s more like a reinvention. The setting has been changed, the characters fleshed out, and the cinematography and editing are prime Scorsese. It doesn’t hurt that the director has a dream cast to work with.

Two boys have grown up on the streets of Boston. When they become young men, Billy Costigan (Leonardo DiCaprio) and Colin Sullivan (Matt Damon) both become cops -- but very different cops. Sullivan has been befriended throughout his life by crime kingpin Frank Costello (Jack Nicholson), who has groomed him as a mole for his syndicate. Good cop Costigan is another sort of mole -- he’s under deep cover as a member of Costello’s syndicate. As they spy on each other’s organizations, both know that something is wrong -- there are leaks -- but not the truth about each other. To further complicate things, Costello himself is rumored to be giving evidence to the FBI. This complex premise creates tangible suspense as the normal cat-and-mouse situation is reversed, and reversed again to circle around itself.

Every character in The Departed is in inner conflict about doing the right thing or taking care of his blood connections. Costigan feels the most pain, and very quickly wants out of the subterfuge so that he can be himself. DiCaprio plays this role with such intensity and inside-out understanding that he will probably be nominated for an Oscar -- it’s the best work he’s done. Matt Damon’s winning, boyish smile makes him ideal to play Sullivan: a guy who is all-American cop on the outside, all mob spy on the inside.

Then there’s Jack Nicholson. How wonderful to see this great actor in a role so suited to him. He plays Costello as the devil incarnate, a man who will charm you one minute, cut off your fingers the next. His edgy performance goes close to but never over the top. Costello knows no rules but his own: "I don’t want to be a product of my environment. I want my environment to be a product of me."

With these actors, and a supporting cast who usually play lead -- Mark Wahlberg, Martin Sheen, Alec Baldwin, Ray Winstone -- Scorsese fashions scenes of excruciating tension and excitement, with plenty of narrow escapes and thrills along the way. I sat on the edge of my seat, wondering which spy would be discovered first. And Scorsese knows better than most how to dish out bloody violence and retribution.

The Departed was effectively shot by Michael Ballhaus, and composer Howard Shore provides a biting score peppered with well-chosen rock’n’roll favorites and even a little opera. Every element in this movie contributes to its overall excellence. If it means he can make the tried and true as fresh as it is in this film, Martin Scorsese should visit other cities more often.

• Go Back