Film: The Departed

[dshock]

I just saw this movie a couple nights ago, was very impressed. Scorcese has finally returned to the genre of film which made him a superstar.
Was a bit dissapointed about what spots he used the Rolling Stone's song Gimme Shelter though. I realize that he has used this song both in Casino and Goodfellas, but in those movies, the song was playing over beautiful montages, of drugs and violence--in the departed , it was played once in the beginning, and then in the middle during matt damon's talk with his g/f in the kitchen, very un inspiring.
Also, there was a surprise near the very end,(which I obviously won't reveal in its entirety) and made the ending that much more lackluster.

 

[ChemicalBeauty]

I'm a white male and to be honest, I had a hard time differentiating between leonardo, matt damon, marky mark and the other similar looking white dude. Who they were in the movie and what role they played I couldn't put together until the end, leaving me bewildred throughout much of the film. I guess what they say is true all us cracka's look alike!

The acting was good, but the story line could of been better. The lead female was an angel that I dreamt about all night I too was disappointed with the ending.

3 stars

 

[Thick_as_a_Planck]

What was wrong with the ending? I loved the fact that it kept you guessing and going up and down for the last half hour or so. And the very final scene was great, very shocking when you first see it but really making sense and closing the whole plot nicely when you look back on it.

 

[Peruvian Cocaine]

The trailer looks like a straight conversion of the excellent original infernal affairs.

I thought the EXACT same thing when I read the summary. I dont have speakers at work, so I can't watch the trailer, but the similarities in the summary are striking. If they did indeed completely copy the storyline from infernal affairs, I would be deeply disgusted. Wouldn't you be pissed if some big hollywood hotshot copied your film without giving due credit? Infernal affairs (the first one) was an excellent movie although it never hit the states.

 

[Thick_as_a_Planck]

It is based on IA - Scorcese admitted as much, I think. I may be wrong, but I think he said he wanted to 'reverse the flow' of influences - apparently the asian director of Internal A. was a big fan of Scorcese's other films (Goodfellas, etc.) and based much of the dialogue on Scor's earlier work. So Scorcese 'paid back the compliment' by doing a film based on their's. I could be wrong, tho.


By the way, Peruvian Cocaine is fucking fantastic, eh?

 

[Peruvian Cocaine]

^ I see. I haven't seen this movie yet, but I do plan on doing so when I scrounge up the time for it. Would you classify this movie as a remake or does it differ enough to be recognized as an original movie?

Yes, cocaine from peru is fantastic

 

[Thick_as_a_Planck]

I don't know - I'm the opposite from you, have seen The Departed but not IA. So can't comment if they're the same.

 

[tambourine-man]

Infernal Affairs was awesome... even with the crappily-translated subtitles.

 

[L2R]

fucking hell. BEST FILM THIS YEAR by far.
Mr Scorsese has taken an already tight and stylish crime thriller and made it even more tight and stylish. I had extremely high hopes for this film, and all were not only met but exceeded.

five big fucking stars of five.

 

[L2R]

I thought the EXACT same thing when I read the summary. I dont have speakers at work, so I can't watch the trailer, but the similarities in the summary are striking. If they did indeed completely copy the storyline from infernal affairs, I would be deeply disgusted. Wouldn't you be pissed if some big hollywood hotshot copied your film without giving due credit? Infernal affairs (the first one) was an excellent movie although it never hit the states.

It is the exact same story. There's no question about it. It is a remake. Some scenes were exactly the same. Noticing these was one part of the film i really enjoyed.
Only one part of the film i thought the original was better.

Spoiler

NSFW:

The scene when the boss breaks the undercover's wrist caste was much more intense in the original since it was during a cat n mouse chase between the cops and the crims, whereas in the departed it's just during an interrogation scene

 

[tambourine-man]

^

Thanks for your inspiring comments.

 

[Peruvian Cocaine]

How did Leonardo DiCaprio and Matt Daemon do as the leading roles? I think Matt looks like too much of a "good boy" to fit the role of an undercover cop in a crime syndicate and Leonardo looked too young. If you remember in the original, Andy Lau was very suave and professional. Always nicely groomed and looked fitting for an officer in a special crime unit. Not too young, but not like a street punk either.

Matt on the other hand... I can't imagine why they send a boy that looks so innocent to be undercover. Tony Leung in the original had a very gruffy look, very fitting of his role.

How did they perform? They just dont look their role in the trailer, but hopefully they act it.

 

[Thick_as_a_Planck]

Dude, I can tell you're pretty stoked about seeing this film. Just get down to the cinema and all your questions will be answered! Go, my son!

 

[L2R]

PC, they fit the parts really well imo.

 

[ChemicalBeauty]

Their acting makes the film imo.

 

[dshock]

There is no question its a remake, no light shed on the situation there, clearly stated on IMDB that it was a remake of infernal affairs...

 

[continuousbeing2]

I was underwhelmed. I thought it was very good, but not close to what people are making ir out to be. I loved loved loved the first half, when Leo was getting in. But it seemed like the end just didnt have the punch it should have.

 

[smotpoker]

Best film I've seen all year. For once I was happy with a "loaded" cast. Great twists, very intense movie.

Ending could've been better, but that's just my opinion. I'm not saying there was anything wrong per say with the end, just not what I was hoping would happen.

5 stars

 

[dshock]

In my experience, the more good hype you hear about a movie, the less spectacular it will be for you in the end. When I heard a remake of Infernal Affairs was coming out, and that Scorcese himself was doing it, thats all I needed to hear.
After gangs of new york and the aviator, and bringing out the dead came out, I was a bit dissapointed,(suffice to say that acting was def. superb in these movies.) and wanted scorcese to remind everyone who the king of the jungle was and give us a hit of that crime/drama genius directing from which his roots came and made him a superstar.
I tried to hear and read as little about the movie until after I had seen it, and besides a couple parts near the end which were less than well thought out, He did his job well, and left most people satisfied.


Continuousbeing2----you're right though, about the ending not having enough punch, there needed to be more. Although, I got my hit, and I won't complain too much.

 

[lostpunk5545]

Well I can't say anything about the film but it's pretty damn cool that there is a Dropkick Murphys song in the ad. Here in Aus. anyways... The song is Shipping Up To Boston and it is a cover of a Woodie Guthrie tune.

According to this it's in the film too:

THE DROPKICK MURPHYS GIVE THE DEPARTED SOME ATTITUDE! Revered Boston Band’s “Angry Bagpipe Punk Adds To Film’s Boiling Ambience”

Boston’s beloved Dropkick Murphys are currently featured in Martin Scorsese’s #1 film The Departed. Their song, “I’m Shipping Up To Boston,” plays prominently through the opening credits and recurs throughout the entire introduction of the film as the backstory of the characters involved are revealed.

The tune, which was originally released on the 2005 Hellcat Records disc, The Warrior’s Code, is the latest example of Scorsese’s willingness to prominently feature music in his films. “The Departed is one of the best films we have seen in a long time,” says Murphys co-founder Ken Casey of the Leonardo DiCaprio, Jack Nicholson and Mark Wahlberg-starring movie. “We were fortunate enough and feel honored to have one of our tracks used in the film.”

Lending credibility and authenticity to the project – which was adapted from the Hong Kong thriller Infernal Affairs and released on October 6th – the Dropkick Murphys’ inclusion has reaped praise across the blogosphere. “The freshness of Boston punkers Dropkick Murphys’ ‘I’m Shipping Up To Boston’ encapsulates [Scorsese’s] film’s attitude,” reads a Reelingreviews.com post. “It’s cheeky, it’s hardcore and it’s in your face.”

Meanwhile, a Chud.com review adds, “Martin Scorsese has one of the finest ears in modern cinema when it comes to using songs in his films, and there’s a Dropkick Murphys track in a pivotal scene of The Departed that ups the ante of everything on screen.”

Elsewhere, Everyonesacritic.net attested, “In The Departed we hear recurring music from Boston’s own Dropkick Murphys, whose angry bagpipe punk only adds to the film’s boiling ambience.”[/B]

That alone is probably reason enough for me to see it...