The Departed

"Are these high waist baggy jeans that you're wearing? you fashion moron." Leo asked the rhetorical question before throwing the first punch to the sartorially challenged Matt.

WARNING: VERY BAD MOVIE REVIEW from yours truly

The Departed won the Best Picture, Scorsese won the Best Director and William Monahan won the Best Screenplay Based on material previously produced or published . And you are dying to read my opinion on this.

I didn't see any of the nominated films so I am totally not qualified to say anything. But then again, it's my blog I can say anything I want.

It's hard not to compare The Departed with the original Japanese Hong Kong version of the movie Mou Gaan Dou (2002) or Infernal Affairs. Personally I like the Hong Kong version better. The details, the tone, the pace, the little touches here and there. How the two male leads cross path in a Mongkok audio shop playing Tsai Chin for audio reference. The Morse code was a nice touch as well. It is the detail that counts, the freaking minute details that matter that transcend a good movie to a great movie. It all comes down to the color of the table cloth.

As to "The Departed," I think both the leads do a good job. Matt Damon's performance is understated and I for one has no problem with it. On the other hand, I think the Hong Kong leads very often overdo scenes, too cute to watch and too self conscious of their movie star quality; in a way, their on screen persona very much mirrors their off screen star status. If there is such a thing as "too cool" that must be it.

I don't know how William Monahan can win the Best Screenplay, but he does. To his credit, I think he did an excellent job in ditching Sammi Cheng's role, the novelist or something who plays the love interest of Andy Lau. In The Departed, there is only one supporting actress, the female clinical psychologist or shrink, played by relatively unknown (to me only) Vera Farmiga, who ends up sleeping with both male characters. The fact that this character is screwing both male leads who are adversary should have created some tension in plot development but surprise, it didn't.

I think the Hong Kong version really have some nice touches and some defining scenes which The Departed sorely lacks. It's probably not Scorsese's best but hey it's about time to give the guy an Oscar.

More Departed from me.

The Departed

(picture belongs to its rightful owners)

"Are these high waist jeans that you're wearing?" Leo asked the rhetorical question before throwing the first punch to the sartorially challenged Matt.

The sartorial choice of the male leads definitely doesn't look as sleek as that of their Hong Kong counterparts, Andy Lau and Tony Leung. You know, Boston is not exactly Hong Kong.