Big Screen Little Screen

Polish up the Oscar(s) for Marty. Early on, The Departed is essentially on the precipice of Metacritic’s number one spot for 2006, as far as best reviewed films go. Crime thriller tag-along Michael Mann stumbled over mojito sipping and dog-eared dialogue in Miami Vice this summer, but Scorsese succeeds in bringing the mean back to the streets. DiCaprio. Damon. Wahlberg. Sheen. Baldwin. Nicholson. Trailer.

“And lest anybody’s wondering, The Departed is splattered with moments of pure, dead-eyed, blood-soaked Scorsesean violence — the pop-pop of bullets and oof-oof of beatings that explode skulls and smash faces,” says Entertainment Weekly.

“DiCaprio and Damon give explosive, emotionally complex performances, but it must be said that Jack Nicholson reaches undreamed-of heights of decadent devilment.” - Rolling Stone

“After a couple of films where one of the best directors ever seemed more intent on pleasing Academy voters than millions of admirers, Scorsese returns to contemporary crime fiction with a hugely satisfying bang.” - The Hollywood Reporter

Departed link clusterfuck: More reviews | Cast & director interview: TIME | Released on the largest number of screens in director’s career | Know your Scorsese Quiz | Adapted from Hong Kong’s Infernal Affairs - Trailer | Sesame Streets mashup video | No dildos were harmed in the making of this film.

Tags: martin scorsese, the departed