INTERACTION

Anyone seen The Departed, http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0407887/, the US remake of Asian crime thriller, Infernal Affairs?

Scorsese's films are so variable in quality, and I'm not fond of Leonardo DiCaprio and Matt Damon, so am wary of paying full retail price for the DVD.

Any opinions on this?
How does Hollywood's version compare to the Hong Kong original?

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Pigasus Press | VideoVista | The ZONE

I thought this was pretty good, and DiCaprio gives a convincing performance. However I thought Mark Wahlberg gave the best performance, and how often do you say that? Nicholson is a bit of a panto villain in comparison. From a craft point of view - camerawork and editing as well as direction - there are plenty of reasons why this is worth seeing. It's a little overlong at two and a half hours - there's a point where it sags around two hours before picking up again.

I haven't seen the original, so can't comment. Apparently it has a different ending.

It's a partial return to form for Scorsese, but not top-rank. However, he's still a director whose films I will make a point of watching - I've seen every feature film from After Hours onwards (except Kundun) in the cinema on its original release, and I've seen Taxi Driver and Raging Bull on the big screen as well. If he's past his peak, which I think he is, then that's some peak he climbed in the 70s especially.

Incidentally, in recent years he's become a first-rate documentarist, with his Personal Journey into American movies especially. I have his films on Italian cinema and Bob Dylan on tape, waiting for a spare 3-4 hours to watch them!

I don't think you'll waste your money as the story (& script) is shit-hot. I personally liked both actors. Great entertainment, but don't let the Oscars make you expect too much. It's not in the class of TAXI DRIVER or GOODFELLAS (how could it be?).

Indeed: Goodfellas is just stunning - Scorcese's Oscar is obviously a throwback to the number of times he's been criminally over-looked.

I watched The Departed the other night and loved it. i was dubious at first - the remake is rather quick - but my fears were allayed in the brillient openign scene. If you're not hooked in the first minute, you know nothing about the power of film.

Matt damon is superb. Whalberg is pretty good, too. DeCapri, despite my dislke for him, was okay. Nicholson did what he does best: steals every scene and chews the scenery like the old pro he is.

Scorsese's direction is up to his usual standards, if less flashy than we're used to. The visual pun in the final scene is laugh-out-loud funny - indeed, the film works well as a very bleak, very black comedy.

8/10.

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Despite my reservations, De Caprio is shaping up to be a decent actor - given the right direction: he was very good as Howard Hughes in The Aviator, and his current role of a South Afrikan smuggler in Blood Diamond is also pretty damn good (as is the film) - though Djimon Houssou steals the film, insofar as I am concerned.

And Jennifer Connolly is always watchable.

I wouldn't go that far, Chris. Perhaps just 'good', though...
After a run of terrible performances Leo finally got something right in Aviator.

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Pigasus Press | VideoVista | The ZONE

Di Caprio is a brilliant actor but I felt with Aviator and Blood Diamond he was too young to play the characters e.g. the grizzled, cynical mercenary who had seen everything; though he did a creditable job of it, don't get me wrong. In The Departed he was about right.

Leo is the last actor I'd think of for such a character.
What the hell was that casting director hooked on?

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Pigasus Press | VideoVista | The ZONE

Actually the film is pretty darn good, I think. Except for the last scene where everyone gets up and applauds the hero. Fuck! I bloody hate films where everyone in the room gets up and applauds.

It even happened in The Elephant Man. I hate it!

I expect I will watch it eventually but haven't so far because I'm such a big fan of Infernal Affairs. I think this makes me a bit sad.