"Cops or criminals, when you're facing a loaded gun, what's the difference?" That's the tagline for Martin Scorsese's latest crime drama "The Departed," starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Matt Damon, Jack Nicholson and Mark Wahlberg. In this drama, an undercover cop (DiCaprio) infiltrates a Boston mob syndicate run by a man named Costello (Nicholson) while a criminal (Damon) infiltrates the state police.
DiCaprio described his role as being a real challenge as an actor, because there is a lot he had to reveal to the audience and a lot he had to hide.
"Having someone grapple with identity is a meaty way to tell a story," Damon agreed. He said this film should appeal to college students who are still grappling with their own questions of identity.
DiCaprio worked on his accent with some help from Damon and Wahlberg. DiCaprio talked in the accent even when he went out, said Damon, all without the help of a dialogue coach. DiCaprio also met a man in South Los Angeles from Boston who told stories about the mob in Boston that DiCaprio called "fascinating" and helpful in becoming more of a Bostonian.
"Leo pulled it off!" Damon said.
Damon said most of the work he spent was on becoming a convincing cop. Damon went on a ride along with a state-trooper and even got to go on a drug raid, he said. However, he didn't get to handle a gun.
Matt Damon said Jack Nicholson "unloaded the toolbox" for his role, a return to the more villainous Jack Nicholson of yesteryear rather than the 'comedic Jack' of the past decade.
Martin Scorsese "really brings out everyone's 'A' game," DiCaprio said. The director serves as a mentor who is always able to surprise him, he said.
As far as the Oscar buzz is concerned, Damon just shrugged it off. "It's not something you set out to do," he said. "If you set out to do it, you're in deep shit."
"The Departed" opens on Friday October 6th in theaters everywhere.
