unflinching idealism ... since 1997 archivessitemapabouthelpfeedback
where paths intersect
  • Home
  • InFocus
  • Themes
  • Columns
  • Articles
  • Fiction
  • iLogs
  • Gallery
  • Unplugged
  • Writers
  • Interactors
  • Tags
Sign in | Join Chowk
web chowk
  • Unplugged Home
  • Books Movies Music
  • News Sports Biz
  • Off-the-wall
  • Chowk Connect!
  • Chowk related topics

The departed (2006)


POST REPLY
read replies 2

The departed (2006)

Topic started by Faizan on Oct 25, 2006 9:51:45 pm

The departed:

The difference between ’Infernal Affairs’ and ’The Departed’ is the difference between a rat and a mole, between gangsters and mobsters, between theatricality and subtlety but ultimately between making a studio film in Hollywood and making a film elsewhere in the world. The original was a thriller through and through - it cared little for characterization (but had plenty) or performances (but managed to squeeze enough) but instead had the right eye for unpredictability, important in any film claiming to thrill. ’The departed’ has none of these things and wants to please as both a popular crowd film while remaining a potential for awards consideration - a desire to contest for best screenplay, best this, best that, come awards season time.

I compared the original to a Michael Mann film back when I first saw it because like any good crime pic, it respected its protagonists and approached their lives, predicaments and secrets with care and empathy. It never differentiated between who was good or bad, their differing positions made us aware of these things. We felt for the undercover cop bearing under the strain of pretension and deceits but also secretly pinned for his counterpart mole in the police force to succeed, because he just seemed to be on the right track.

As a film, ’The departed’ feels like nothing more than a vehicle to showcase its stars. Also consider that in the original, there were no deaths in the film till two third of the way through, at which point when the bodies did start to pile, we were caught off guard. In the remake, we are witness to one butchery after another, so much as that its not surprising when people have their heads suddenly blown off by gun fire. The departed also clearly lacks a sense of pacing or narrative revelation (a key secret about how many other people might actually be undercover is let loose early on with the death of an Irish mobster in a shootout, which lets us in on what is in store to come). There are many, many, many other areas where this, the remake, clearly falls short and rather than talk about them, I’d re-recommend anyone reading this to instead pick up ’Infernal affairs’.

Despite being well acted, and especially well written, Scorceses’ long, needlessly confusing, savage look at the double life of people serving both sides of the law is neither elegant nor memorable. After three strike outs in a row, Scorceses, one of the most gifted, original filmakers of our time, should finally hang up his gloves and gracefully retire.

P.S. Why does every American film (especially those made post 9/11) need to have an us vs them stand attitude when it comes to foreighners? (as unspectacularly portrayed on screen when the ’Irish’ Americans deal with a bunch of Chinese and Jack Nicholson yelps something about ’how we do business in this country’!)


flag objectionable content
Posts 1-2 of 2
Post by Faizan on Oct 29, 2006 10:42:16 pm

The girl in question is Vera something...an ok actress..she wasnt in Braveheart, but was last seen as another trash talking bitch type in ’Running Scared’.


flag objectionable content
Post by Minhaj on Oct 26, 2006 7:29:41 pm

I loved this film!! And every one was in it! Even Alec Baldwin! I loved that scene when Nicholson questions Di Caprio about his loyalty and Di Caprio goes on the offensive. There are some un-needed deaths and twists. I liked the love affair between Di Caprio and the Psychiatrist. The connection between them was honest and emotional. By the way is she the girl from Brave Heart?! Not as pretty as she used to be.

Matt Daemon was brilliant as usual, He is this guy who really has no Morals and so effortlessly selfish that its a delight to see him in pain. I like certain touches in a movie. Like when Daemon is in a fix and he just turns the lights off in his office so he can think and take quick decisions. Its a very small thing but it makes it real. His lack of emotion is scary. People like that really scare me. Like something is wrong here but you dont know what until its too late kind of personality.

I think the relatable horror of Di Caprio’s position in this movie is that the people who put him under-cover are not willing to pull him out.

P.S. Why does every American film (especially those made post 9/11) need to have an us vs them stand attitude when it comes to foreighners? (as unspectacularly portrayed on screen when the ’Irish’ Americans deal with a bunch of Chinese and Jack Nicholson yelps something about ’how we do business in this country’!)

haha yeah. I thought that whole scene was dumb with Nicholson explaining business to a foreigner and that too an arms dealer! Who though equipped with machine guns listens obediently! hilarious. What happened to USA and US Cinema after 9/11? They want to define what it means to be an American. And every time they try they make themselves cheap.


flag objectionable content
Posts 1-2 of 2

Latest Interacts

  • nkg: Majumder... "Shantry" ta ki Sanskrit... Muslim Ghettoisation
  • truth100: test only a test... Muslim Ghettoisation
  • nkg: Re: # 416 Tahir... "Pearl Harbour... Muslim Ghettoisation
  • nb: #2 arjun, I don't... A Journey Interrupted: Being
  • nkg: #380... Tahir... Is the head to... Muslim Ghettoisation
  • truth100: Ijaz, Why learn persian? gurumukhi/punjabi... Who Sold the Centrifuges?
  • nkg: Re: # 35 Ijaz... "Well Christians... Who Sold the Centrifuges?
  • hamidm2: Re: # 58 dost-mittar, ... you... Aamir - A Film

Latest iLogs

  • a_bundeali 05:59 am
    Desi Infertility Combat
  • outlander 05:30 am
    In the summer
  • Izzah 04:18 am
    If And When
  • masadi 01:46 am
    Testing
  • Optimistic_Aadil 11:48 pm
    Feeling envious
  • Tazeen 11:38 pm
    Defying death - one more time
  • student_t 08:55 pm
    Fears
  • Shah2 08:25 pm
    Hollywood Mogul & boston Brahmin
  • noQs4us 05:24 pm
    World around us.
  • quin 02:36 pm
    Making it clickable
  • outlander 02:17 pm
    aadatan tum ne
  • quin 02:12 pm
    Ideas
more »

Write on Chowk Interact Guidelines Privacy policy Terms Contact

Copyright © 1997 - 2008 chowk.com. All Rights Reserved
Reproduction of material on any www.chowk.com pages without prior written permissions is strictly prohibited