Violence, frequent cursing and angry, angry people is a combination that sounds nothing more than dismal, yet somehow Martin Scorcese manages to pull it off … every time.

His newest film, “The Departed” starring Matt Damon, Leonardo DiCaprio, and – the one and only – Jack Nicholson, is one of the most amazing crime dramas to roll through the world’s projectors.

Set in the ugly Irish streets of Boston, the film matches the good and bad cops of the Massachusetts State Police against each other, while focusing on the crime lord Frank Costello (Nicholson), who runs the show from a thug-ridden bar.

DiCaprio and Damon play the two rivaling police officers Billy Costigan and Colin Sullivan. While Costigan goes undercover to build a case against Costello, Sullivan works as a leak in the crime unit to alert Costello of any and all police activity that might be a threat.

As the movie progresses, tension builds as the two get closer and closer to exposing each other. To add spice to the mustard, they even go after the same girl.

All the while, Costello laughs from a distance, at the same thug-ridden bar.

The acting and character portrayal is downright masterful. No one man is less likable than any other, and by the climax, it’s still a wild guess as to who makes it out alive.

Both DiCaprio and Damon play their roles with superb precision.

Damon, returning to the sets of Boston for the first time since “Good Will Hunting,” brings the nice-guy charm of Linus from “Ocean’s Eleven,” and matches it with the mysterious deviousness he portrayed as Jason Bourne in “The Bourne Identity” and its sequel, “The Bourne Supremacy.”

DiCaprio, on the other hand, shows the hardened face he wore in “Gangs of New York” (another Scorcese film), as well as the tortured soul that was chased by Tom Hanks in “Catch Me If You Can.”

Jack Nicholson does what he does best: plays a role that no one else can … perfectly

Even the secondary characters leave a mark that’s unique and unforgettable. From Mark Wahlberg to Alec Baldwin, each of the background personas adds to the complex nature of the film’s drama and intrigue.

As far as technique, this picture has it all. From a soundtrack that screams Boston like a Red Sox hat – including songs from the Rolling Stones and the Dropkick Murphys – to visual angles, shadows and textures smeared with deception and suspense, “The Departed” is nothing less than a testament to the long, experienced career of the legend that is Martin Scorcese.

Even the writing by William Monahan, is perfect both for the angry, sarcastic Boston atmosphere, and the nature of the scene’s wild criminology.

The only flaw with this film is the ending. While the bulk of the feature steadily builds like a beaver dam, the third act drops like a broken elevator full of drugged-up elephants. With a little bit of deus-ex-machina, a heaping handful of surprise and an unnecessary amount of blood, the finale leaves a lot to be desired. But those who have seen films such as “Goodfellas,” “Gangs of New York” and “Casino” know that’s the kind of ending Scorcese likes.

Seriously, go see this movie. Go see Leonardo DiCaprio’s amazing acting. Go see Mark Wahlberg’s dirty mouth. Go see Matt Damon’s shifty eyes. Go see Jack Nicholson kill a whole lot of people. Go see this movie.

Colin Lacy can be reached at [email protected].