Smell the Movies
Smell the TV
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
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| Year: | 2006 |
| Country of origin: | USA, Hong Kong |
| Director: | Martin Scorsese |
| Genre: | Police corruption thriller |
| Starring: | Leonardo DiCaprio, Matt Damon, Jack Nicholson, Mark Wahlberg |
| Rating: | 5/5 |
| IMDB link: | http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0407887/ |
| Tagline: | Lies. Betrayal. Sacrifice. How far will you take it? |
| Favourite line: | "What's the matter, smartass, you don't know any fuckin' Shakespeare?" |
Scorcese's outrageously brilliant examination of police corruption sees a real return to form from the veteran director.
DiCaprio plays Billy Costigan, a State Police recruit assigned to go undercover to infiltrate the Irish Mafia in Boston, run by Jack Nicholson's maniacal Costello. Only two people on the whole force know of his true identity, Wahlberg's Dignam and Martin Sheen's Queenan. This is to minimise the possibility of discovery. At the same time, Matt Damon, another State Police recruit is assigned to discover the mole in the department who is passing information to Costello, keeping him one step ahead of the police. Problem is, Damon is the mole (I'm not ruining anything here, you find this out almost immediately), so is essentially investigating himself.
Scorcese's searing direction is electrifying, and he brings out the best in all of his actors. The only dubious portayal is Mad Jack's, who is a bit excessive in places, but then that's what you get in every movie he is ever in.
Sharply scripted, with tension dripping from every scene, this is truly gripping stuff, and the lengthy two and a half hour plus running time flashes by in an instant.
Simply magnificent movie-making from the master.
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