The Departed

[stevejrogers]

Saw The Departed last night.

Great flick, Scorsese with another great film on the resume.

Great turns by the cast. Jack was Jack and was really into it. Matt Damon and Leonardo DiCaprio were tremendous as the main leads. Mark Wahlberg, Martin Sheen and Alec Baldwin were also great in their roles as well.

I'd have to think about where it ranks among the greats of the genre, certaintly more weight culturally is given to New York/Chicago/Vegas stories but I can see it right in the top 20-15 "gangster" or "cop" films of all time.

BTW, a friend of my dad's and a retired NYC cop did some stuff for the show Third Watch, and was brought onboard with this movie as both a small speaking role (that got cut though, hopefully restored with the DVD deleted scenes) and a consulting role behind the scenes.

[Elster88]

Even polls are unsafe.

[Willets Point]

I'd like to see this. I hear Boston gets a good part in the film.

[metirish]

Is this kinda based on the life of Whitey Bulger?

[stevejrogers]

Yes I believe it is loosley based on the Bulgers

[Guest sharpie]

I liked it quite a bit but the first three descriptions were a bit redundant. A very good movie, I gave it a 7.

[Elster88]

Yeah, ignore the descriptions.

[Elster88]

I give it an 8. Very good, not great.

[Guest Johnny Dickshot]

Is this the flick where Nicholson plays a Boston guy who wears a MFY cap? He's such a fucking frontrunning gloryhound ham he refused to wear the costume his character was offered.

[soupcan]

Saw this last night - I gave it an 8. DeCaprio finally wins me over after years of trying and scores of movie roles. The guy can act! Who knew?

Alec Baldwin should never be the star of a movie again. He is just so damn good in supporting roles.

Mark Wahlberg who I am a reluctant fan of does a great job here.

Nicholson didn't do much for me and Damon was serviceable.

Didn't notice any MFY hat on Jack though.

[stevejrogers]

Johnny Dickshot wrote: Is this the flick where Nicholson plays a Boston guy who wears a MFY cap? He's such a fucking frontrunning gloryhound ham he refused to wear the costume his character was offered.

So Billy Crystal is a fake, phony, fraud (tm Bob Grant) for doning a Met cap in City Slickers and Nicholson is a piece of crap because he refused to wear a cap of his most hated rival?

A bit hypocritical there JD. Can't take a person to task because they are giving a team props for helping them out and then blasting someone for not wearing the colors of a team because it conflicts with your rooting interests.

[Guest Johnny Dickshot]

I don't recall calling Crystal a fraud. Two, what he did is completely opposite of Nicholson in that he did what the director asked him to and Nicholson didn;t.

There you have it: Billy Crystal > Jack Nicholson.

Never thought I'd say it.

[Guest cooby]

Johnny Dickshot wrote: I There you have it: Billy Crystal > Jack Nicholson. .

Maybe in this rare instance.

[Elster88]

soupcan wrote: Saw this last night - I gave it an 8. DeCaprio finally wins me over after years of trying and scores of movie roles. The guy can act! Who knew?

He proved it a long time ago in What's Eating Gilbert Grape.

[soupcan]

Elster88 wrote: He proved it a long time ago in What's Eating Gilbert Grape.

Yeah, well then count me as the last holdover.

[soupcan]

P.S. Marky-Mark delivers the best line in the movie.

[stevejrogers]

Johnny Dickshot wrote: I don't recall calling Crystal a fraud. Two, what he did is completely opposite of Nicholson in that he did what the director asked him to and Nicholson didn;t. There you have it: Billy Crystal > Jack Nicholson. Never thought I'd say it.

Hmmm, sorry, guess I'm thinking of the prevailing thought again as most people (including Met fans) bash Crystal based on the hat in City Slickers, even after knowing why Crystal donned it as a "Thanks" to the Mets/Wilpons for their help with Comic Relief, and the fact that you don't like him anyway

[Benjamin Grimm]

I saw it yesterday and I voted 6. I don't necessarily agree with the wording that went with the number. (It's probably best not to add the cute descriptions. It makes it harder to vote what you think.)

It was good. I enjoyed Leo. I thought that the girl was Jennifer Love Hewitt in a wig, but the closing credits proved me wrong. Jack was Jack, and I'm so tired of his act that if anything he hindered the movie. That "rat" impression he did got chuckles from others in the theater but I was probably rolling my eyes.

I didn't like the way it ended. SPOILER WARNING! That scene near the elevator where one person after another got shot was just ridiculous. I don't mind that there wasn't a happy ending, but the way Leo's character just got thrown away at the end of a long movie was unsatisfying. And then seeing everyone else got shot one after the other was just too much for me.

So overall, eh.

[soupcan]

Marky-Mark delivers the best line in the movie.

Do you know which one I mean and do you agree?

[Benjamin Grimm]

No, I don't know which line you mean.

Was it what he said at the end? (I can't remember what it was, but I seem to remember that it was something clever.) Or at the opening when he was yelling at Leo?

[soupcan]

I'll PM you so as not to mar the future enjoyment of the movie for those who have yet to view it.

Don't mention it, you guys are all welcome.

[Guest ScarletKnight41]

Way too violent for my taste.

Also, Matt Damon and Leonardo DiCaprio should never be cast in the same movie. They look too much alike, and there were times that I found that to be confusing (Brad Pitt completes the lookalike triumverate by co-producing the film).

[Willets Point]

Saw it Friday. I'm with SK in that I've always thought Damon & DiCaprio look alike. They should be cast as brothers if they're in a movie together again. This is the most brutal, goriest movie I've seen since The Gangs of New York. Not surprising since they're both Scorsese films. Good acting by everyone involved. I didn't even recognize Wahlberg so I guess he's the best overall. I'd see it again to try to work out all the who's related to who and the Damon/DiCaprio montage at the beginning of the movie, but I really don't want to see all those point blank shots to the head again. I think the number of people killed in this movie is higher than Boston's average murder rate. I agree with Yancy that the ending is overdone. Also, could they be any less subtle with the "Citizens" bank envelope?

So soupy, what was your favorite line?

I have to agree with Rogers on this point:

Irish Mafia leader with the name "Costello?" ARE YOU KIDDING ME?

[Willets Point]

SteveJRogers wrote: Yes I believe it is loosley based on the Bulgers

Extremely loose. Nicholson's Costello is somewhat Bulgeresgue and an FBI informant, but the similarities end there.

[Centerfield]

Yancy Street Gang wrote: I saw it yesterday and I voted 6. I don't necessarily agree with the wording that went with the number. (It's probably best not to add the cute descriptions. It makes it harder to vote what you think.) It was good. I enjoyed Leo. I thought that the girl was Jennifer Love Hewitt in a wig, but the closing credits proved me wrong. Jack was Jack, and I'm so tired of his act that if anything he hindered the movie. That "rat" impression he did got chuckles from others in the theater but I was probably rolling my eyes. I didn't like the way it ended. SPOILER WARNING! That scene near the elevator where one person after another got shot was just ridiculous. I don't mind that there wasn't a happy ending, but the way Leo's character just got thrown away at the end of a long movie was unsatisfying. And then seeing everyone else got shot one after the other was just too much for me. So overall, eh.

I saw this last night. I was going to type out a review but then I saw that Yancy basically summed up everything I was going to say in a much more succinct way. Insert similarity score joke here.

I can't even tell you how sick I am of Nicholson's character. I don't see why other people are required to act but Jack thinks it's ok to play everyone the exact same way.

I think I know the line soupcan. Check your PM's.

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

You can remind us of the line anytime now, Soupy. Especially now that I finally saw it. Marky Mark was one mad asshole, all his lines were pretty good.

Overall, oddly unsatisfying for such a long, well-acted film.

[Fman99]

I thought it was great, though Jack phoned in his performance. I liked "Gangs of New York" better.

[soupcan]

John Cougar Lunchbucket wrote: You can remind us of the line anytime now, Soupy. Especially now that I finally saw it. Marky Mark was one mad asshole, all his lines were pretty good.

It was when Costello and the gang were meeting with the Chinese dudes and they were being surveilled.

Wahlberg says something to one of the guys doing the surveillence and the guy says 'Who are you?' Wahlberg's response: 'I'm the guy that does his job, you must be other guy.'