by This antagonist has marked the spirits of millions of spectators, making this character one of the most memorable of the last 20 years. Back on this relentless villain in this masterpiece signed Martin Scorsese.
In 2006, Martin Scorsese staged the infiltrates, polar under tension which will earn him the only Oscar for the best director of his career. The feature film is carried by Leonardo DiCaprio, Matt Damon and Jack Nicholson. The latter delivers here one of the most incredible performances of his career as a sponsor of the underworld, alias Frank Costello.
A memorable villain
The story of the film, remake of the infernal Hong Kong film Affairs, takes us to Boston, a city witness to a merciless struggle opposing the police against the Irish underworld. To put an end to the reign of the godfather Frank Costello, the police infiltrate his gang with “a blue” from the lower districts, Billy Costigan.
While Billy endeavors to gain the confidence of the aging thug, Colin Sullivan enters the police within the unit of special surveys, responsible for eliminating Costello. But Colin operates in “submarine” and informs Costello of operations that are going against him.
Risking at any time to be unmasked, Billy and Colin are forced to lead a double life that makes them lose their bearings and their identity. Traquenards and counter-offensives are linked until the day when each camp realizes that he hosts a mole. A race against the clock begins between the two men with a single objective: to discover the identity of the other under penalty of leaving his skin there …
Faced with Leonardo DiCaprio, Jack Nicholson gratifies us with a performance that is both terrifying and captivating, multiplying improvisations. This gives the character an impression of disturbing spontaneity and disturbing strangeness. Martin Scorsese gave carte blanche to the shining star to give free rein to his imagination and enrich this Frank Costello in his own way.
Disturbing improvisations
For example, the scene where the thug released a sex toy in full serious discussion with Sullivan in a cinema was absolutely not planned. Jack Nicholson surprised his colleague, whose reaction to the screen is authentic. This revealing the provocative personality of Costello, an unpredictable character, whose violence is lurking in the shade, ready to spring at any time.
In another sequence, Nicholson asked the chief accessory to hide a firearm on the set, although the script did not provide for it. This improvisation created a palpable tension, and the surprise reaction of DiCaprio was spontaneous.
WarnerFurthermore, this antagonist is not just an average villain in a banal thriller; It is a manipulative strategist that draws the strings from both sides of the conflict, police and mafia. The latter perfectly embodies corrupt power and moral ambiguity. Through the fantastic interpretation of Jack Nicholson, Costello becomes a real genius of evil, as charismatic as it is detestable.
Jack Nicholson, actor known for his intensity of play and his propensity to camp crazy characters, was perfect for playing Costello. Unscrupulous, without remorse, he does not respond to any rule except his. In addition, he is also very theatrical, treating his entries, his dialogues and his gestures. In this way, he knows how to make an impression, reminiscent of a modern devil, tempter and destructive.
A character who marks the spirits
Frank Costello obviously enrolled in the gallery of great criminals shaped by Martin Scorsese, like those of the freed or casino. The New York filmmaker added a touch of Travis Bickle in Taxi Driver for the deaf anger side ready to explode at any time. Sadial and unpredictable, he is inspired by the real Irish gangster Whitey Bulger.
Frank Costello is like the joker in a realistic world: a criminal who goes beyond the simple role of antagonist to become a destabilizing force, a chaos agent, as the Joker of The Dark Knight chanted. He embodies what Scorsese often denounces in his work: the evil rooted in power and society, and not an individual perversion.
Ultimately, this villain is one of the most striking in the 7th art because it transcends the role of simple bad guy. Thanks to the disturbing charisma of Jack Nicholson, a skilful scriptwriting construction and a powerful Scoresian staging, there remains an unforgettable antagonist in modern cinema … and the last big role of Nicholson. If you want to (re) see the infiltrates, the film is available on the HBO Max platform.
