Another master class from the master
Based on the 2002 Hong Kong cops n' robbers caper, "Infernal Affairs," Martin Scorsese's taut, unnerving "The Departed" is not only his best work since "Goodfellas" (count me among the hundreds to toss off that little nugget), it's the best American film in years. On the surface, there's the story of two men living their lives undercover -- one in the Boston mob and another in the city's police department. Dig even half an inch deeper, though, and it's a parable of modern manhood rooted firmly in the haywire society in which we live. Transcending the source material with an assurance and level of craftsmanship rarely gifted to audiences, Scorsese, screenwriter William Monahan and an impressive stable of actors create a film that, despite an overly symbolic parting shot, is as near to perfection as modern cinema gets.
