The Departed
Whenever the two moles near each other - or Nicholson is on screen - the film is beyond riveting.
A remake of Hong Kong cops and robbers flick 'Infernal Affairs', transplanted to Boston, directed by Martin Scorsese, starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Jack Nicholson with native Bostonians Matt Damon and Mark Wahlberg in there too, 'The Departed' is about infiltration and counter-infiltration in the police and the mob, with DiCaprio and Damon playing moles on either side. Back to his familiar themes of moral decay and male loyalty in the modern world, Scorsese is on a surer footing than he has been for years. Oddly though, his direction is toned down here, with far fewer grandstanding camera stunts or editing tricks than usual. The fireworks here come from the cast, and whenever the two moles near each other - or Nicholson is on screen - the film is beyond riveting. The plot takes several implausible turns, but the acting here accumulates such emotional impact that it hardly matters. A brutal but powerful film and probably, finally, Scorsese's ticket to an Oscar. [Keir Hind]