The Departed

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  • #46
    Re: The Departed

    Makes up for all the other superficial crap that infects the theaters.

    I was surprised that the ending was so similar to Infernal Affairs with a sequence taking place in an elevator. I would say The Departed is a better film, with better dialgoue, better acting, and additional key characters that actually enhance the story.

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    • #47
      Re: The Departed

      Originally posted by Republic of Stephen View Post
      Makes up for all the other superficial crap that infects the theaters.

      I was surprised that the ending was so similar to Infernal Affairs with a sequence taking place in an elevator. I would say The Departed is a better film, with better dialgoue, better acting, and additional key characters that actually enhance the story.
      How is it a better film? Better because of more budget available to them than the HK original? Better dialogue because you think the translation within the subtitles was made absolutely in line with the language? How do you base that assumption?

      Better acting? I think Andy Lau (Matt Damon), Tony Cheung (Leonardo diCaprio) were great in their roles. The secondary actors were lead well by veteran HK actors like Anthony Wong. I'm not sure what version of Infernal Affairs you saw but you might want to give it another look.

      This is not taking away the positive nods I give to everyone involved in The Departed but to say it is a better movie...I think we are talking on slight differences in subtleties.

      Bte, this is not a blast, RoS.
      A talent for drama is not a talent for writing, but is an ability to articulate human relationships.
      Gore Vidal

      "Aisatsu Yori Ensatsu"
      Money is better than compliments.


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      • #48
        Re: The Departed

        Just saw it. ***. Good, not great Scorsese.

        Effective, but not quite as cohesive as Goodfellas. Today's quick editing techniques forego character relationships and even a Scorsese film falls victim.

        While I was pleasantly surprised by Leo's performance, I thought Damon was a little hollow esp. when he wasn't with the therapist woman.

        I dug Baldwin. Funny cat.

        P.S. Martin can use music in a film like no one's business, can't he?
        "I ask every producer I meet if they need TV specs they say yeah. They all want a 40 inch display that's 1080p and 120Hz. So, I quit my job at the West Hollywood Best Buy."
        - Screenwriting Friend

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        • #49
          Re: The Departed

          Originally posted by Copywriter2 View Post
          Only gripe I had about it -- and I don't think this is giving anything away -- is one point where many in the audience laughed out loud. And it was a scene that definitely wasn't supposed to be funny.
          I know. People were laughing at that same scene in the theatre I was in. Can't really fault the audience. I think they had trouble believing the character in question would be that gruesome.
          "I ask every producer I meet if they need TV specs they say yeah. They all want a 40 inch display that's 1080p and 120Hz. So, I quit my job at the West Hollywood Best Buy."
          - Screenwriting Friend

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          • #50
            Re: The Departed

            ^I think I might know what scene you were talking about, bu tI feel like there were a couple of scenes like that throughout.

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            • #51
              Re: The Departed

              Originally posted by roscoegino View Post

              Effective, but not quite as cohesive as Goodfellas. Today's quick editing techniques forego character relationships and even a Scorsese film falls victim.
              I would agree with this. Although I loved the film, I felt distanced from the protagonist. This wasn't true in Casino or Goodfellas.

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              • #52
                Re: The Departed

                I felt distanced from the protag as well. That didn't happen with the Hill character Liotta played in Goodfellas. You lived Henry Hill's life -- what made him tick, laugh, what made him sad, angry, etc... Much more dimensional.

                And though I enjoyed Jack, I can't help thinking he was in it merely to amp up the marketing.
                "There is no greater agony than bearing an untold story inside you."
                -Maya Angelou

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                • #53
                  Re: The Departed

                  Originally posted by WriteByNight View Post
                  I felt distanced from the protag as well. That didn't happen with the Hill character Liotta played in Goodfellas. You lived Henry Hill's life -- what made him tick, laugh, what made him sad, angry, etc... Much more dimensional.

                  And though I enjoyed Jack, I can't help thinking he was in it merely to amp up the marketing.
                  Yeah, they definitely should have gone with someone like Dan Aykroyd.

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                  • #54
                    Re: The Departed

                    Certainly had a sharp, intelligent, brash dialogue that fueled most scenes. That part was great! I don't think everybody can be that sharp and witty but I suppose everyone from Boston has quick comebacks. Damon seems to be potraying the same stern but collect character in his roles... It's getting a little old for me. Who cares though right? He's still good. Jack was good but could've been in better shape I think. Walhberg had the best lines. Baldwin was good too.

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                    • #55
                      Re: The Departed

                      I'm with DMNY on the differences between "The Departed" and "Infernal Affairs". They're both very good pictures, though tonally very different. I don't think one is better than the other. Where "IF" is cool and introspective, "The Departed" is frantic and feverish. They both stand as successful films.

                      I'm not sure I saw Jack as the protagonist of the movie. Surely that was shared equally by Leo and Matt, no? Jack was just...Jack most of the time.

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                      • #56
                        Re: The Departed

                        I actually don't know why I saw this movie. I hate violent movies. Oh yeah,
                        someone else took me. The ending, hated it. The entire audience hated it.
                        All of it. I've never seen such a sullen crowd.

                        I hated the feeling I had when I left.

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                        • #57
                          Re: The Departed

                          Rose, I don't think we're talking about the same moment in which the audience laughed. SLIGHT SPOILER:

                          I'm talking about the end of the elevator scene.

                          Comment


                          • #58
                            Re: The Departed

                            as a huge fan of infernal affairs, i have to say that this movie was an interesting reinterpretation.

                            there were a few things that were better, i.e. the love story was developed more, as well as the crime lord, but it was missing something at it's core.

                            infernal affairs had a theme of creating your own hell, which really worked brilliantly in the movie.....

                            SPOILERS


                            when the hero gets killed in the elevator, it's shocking, but what was even more shocking was that in the end of infernal affairs, the "bad guy" got away w it.

                            there was no mark wahlberg to tie up loose ends, and i think that was actually a much more powerful (albiet non-hollywood) ending. b/c it was obvious that the bad guy wanted to change, but was locked into a vicious cycle. and now, he had to live thru his own hell (as the buddha's quote reminded us).

                            this movie lacked that.

                            but it was still a pretty solid flick.

                            I'd give it an A-



                            p.s. does any1 understand how leo's character had a cop's funeral? thank you

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                            • #59
                              Re: The Departed

                              Originally posted by DMNY View Post
                              How is it a better film?
                              The supporting characters give the story more layers and depth, especially Dignam (Wahlberg) and Madolyn (Vera Farmiga.)

                              Maybe I should see Infernal Affairs again but I don't remember it having any romance or dark humour. I don't remember anything about the mob boss in Infernal Affairs but couldn't take my eyes off Costello (Nicholson.) Of course, this is just my subjective opinion.

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                              • #60
                                Re: The Departed

                                Originally posted by WriteByNight View Post
                                I felt distanced from the protag as well. That didn't happen with the Hill character Liotta played in Goodfellas. You lived Henry Hill's life -- what made him tick, laugh, what made him sad, angry, etc... Much more dimensional.

                                And though I enjoyed Jack, I can't help thinking he was in it merely to amp up the marketing.
                                Since when was Nicholson the protag? He was the antag... as was Damon. Dicaprio was the protag of this story and you did live in his life and were pretty close to him. You are a bit more distanced from him than Hill, but that's because Damon and even Nicholson played much larger roles, so the screen time was split. It made for a less protag-focused movie.

                                However, I disagree that this was a weakness. And who would have been better than Jack? That character was a great crime boss and he did an awesome job.

                                He had, in my opinion, one of the funniest lines in the entire movie:

                                "She fell funny."

                                Although Wahlberg overall had better stuff to say, it was just great.

                                I really wanna go see this again... ! But think I'll wait for it on DVD.

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