"The Departed"

[aholbert32]

Re: "The Departed"

No he was miscast because he doesn't look or sound Jewish and his hardened facial features don't really make him beleivable as a meek Jewish character. Just becasue Deniro's a great actor and was great on other Scorsese films means he's perfect for every film Marty does.

I'm as a big a Scorsese fan as it gets but I still saw that he took the easy way out with the Departed with the ending and the plot was more messy than it needed to be.



***Spoilers***
I've never seen Infernal Affairs so I don't know if this is a plot hole but I can't understand if Jack was an FBI snitch then he's doing that so he doesn't get any heat from them. Wouldn't the FBI notify the Boston police to lay off of Jack since he's providing info. If the FBI didn't do that then what's the point of Jack snitching if he's still in danger of getting pinched by the cops. Jack's not getting anything out of his deal with the FBI. Furthermore if Jack had the FBI watching his back to not get pinched in exchange for information (and assuming the cops would be told to do the same) then why does he need to plant a mole in the Dep't when he can get the authorities to tell him what he needs to know. What's the point of the cops sending Leo out there when the last thing the FBI wants is Jack to get pinched. The plot is not logical in any way and the more I think about the movie the worse I think it is. It's almost like they're saying "we got all these great stars and Jack can be a smartass so how the plot plays out is not really important."

If someone can explain these plot holes then I'll admit the movie was good. Because it's a Scorsese crime movie and Jack was in it, many of us (including myself initially) automatically think it's a masterpeace and have blinders on. I know I so wanted to love this movie but it's too flawed.

Ill give it a shot. Its clear from the movie and from real life, the FBI and local law enforcement rarely share intel. So it would be unrealistic for the FBI to go to BPD and inform them that Costello was a snitch. By snitching to the Feds, he keeps them off his back and Costello had a snitch in BPD to make sure the state PD had nothing on him. Being a snitch for the Feds doesnt give you cate blanche to murder, injure or extort when it comes to state law enforcement and if he doesnt have a snitch in the BPD he runs the risk of having the state charge him.

Also, do you actually think that the state would share information with the feds when they are hesitant to share information within their own department?

Regarding Casino, I guess you wanted Deniro to sound like Woody Allen because I dont know how a half jew from Kansas City is supposed to sound. I also dont know how you could call Deniro's character "meek". Am I the only one that remembers the vice scene in Casino?

[Seymour Scagnetti]

Re: "The Departed"

Ill give it a shot. Its clear from the movie and from real life, the FBI and local law enforcement rarely share intel. So it would be unrealistic for the FBI to go to BPD and inform them that Costello was a snitch. By snitching to the Feds, he keeps them off his back and Costello had a snitch in BPD to make sure the state PD had nothing on him. Being a snitch for the Feds doesnt give you cate blanche to murder, injure or extort when it comes to state law enforcement and if he doesnt have a snitch in the BPD he runs the risk of having the state charge him.

Also, do you actually think that the state would share information with the feds when they are hesitant to share information within their own department?

Regarding Casino, I guess you wanted Deniro to sound like Woody Allen because I dont know how a half jew from Kansas City is supposed to sound. I also dont know how you could call Deniro's character "meek". Am I the only one that remembers the vice scene in Casino?

Not bad. But if Costello was the mob kingpin like he's portrayed it would not fall to the state police to nab him. Mob hits and rackateering involving a known mob kingpin, that's FBI territory. The FBI went after Gotti not the local NYPD. The FBI wouldn't turn the other cheek and let local police handle it. I see what you're saying but with this movie there's too much of that "suspension of disbelief" to take it seriously. All I know is if I was Costello I would guarantee that all heat from every level is off me just for the risk of having his mob friends find out.

Regarding Casino, the vice scene was with Pesci's character not Deniro. Deniro was not in that scene. Conversely would you buy Woody Allen doing Deniro's character in Goodfellas. No because he doesn't look or sound the part. Deniro looks Italian and has a NY accent so believing he's a Jew from KC is stretching it beyond belief when he makes no attempt to act any different than he did in Goodfellas. I've seen real pictures of the character he played and the guy looks Jewish. In fact I read somewhere that Deniro was supposed to have Pesci's role but lobbied Marty to give him the Rothstein role.

[MachoMyers]

Re: "The Departed"

Off topic: Just because Deniro's character was Jewish shouldn't imply that he was "meek". Pesci and his boys gum him throughout the movie because he was a bookie (a hands off guy) and that he was a Jew. He ran that Casino like a mad man and even had his goons slap around James Woods (best scene). I, however do not know the story of the "real" Ace Rothstein so I can't say for certain. Saying Deniro is miscast is like saying its too sunny outside though, its still Deniro.

On topic:
I love the mess that became of the ending, I don't need a cookie cutter ending, I get that with every other movie Hollywood puts out. This movie was no Raging Bull, Taxi Driver, or Goodfellas, but it was a pretty freakin good movie.

[JayBee74]

Re: "The Departed"

Off topic: Just because Deniro's character was Jewish shouldn't imply that he was "meek".

Agree. As mentioned earlier in this thread, Deniro was offered the "Departed" mob kingpin role before Jack.

[Fresh Tendrils]

Re: "The Departed"

Like everyone else, I disagree with everything Spaghetti said, but most definitely with the Mark Wahlberg and Leo comparison. I thought Marky Mark was good in his role, but I don't think he has quite the talent that was needed to pull off Leo's role - which Leo did wonderfully. Maybe I just pushed Titanic to the back of my mind (although I thought Leo was really good in that as well), but I totally bought Leo's character in this movie.

[SportsTop]

Re: "The Departed"

I've heard and read some people say that this was Scorcese's 5th or 6th best movie and 3rd best mob movie and that timing against a weak field won him Best Director.

I actually think this is one of Marty's best (yes, I said it) directing performances. The script and screenplay may be one thing, but the overall direction of the movie was incredible.

[JayBee74]

Re: "The Departed"

Maybe I just pushed Titanic to the back of my mind (although I thought Leo was really good in that as well), but I totally bought Leo's character in this movie.

Leo established a good degree of "screen toughness" in "Gangs of New York", even up against the likes of "Bill The Butcher" ( Day-Lewis). I bought him in the role as well.

[ZB9]

Re: "The Departed"

yea, there is a difference between best director and best screenplay. The Departed was a well directed movie even though the screenplay wouldnt even make the top 5 of Scorsese movies.

btw, how Goodfellas didnt win best director is beyond me. The dinner scene alone in that movie should have won Scorsese best director. I imagine that movie is used a lot by film schools, etc.. does anyone know who won best director that year?

[Brandwin]

Re: "The Departed"

does anyone know who won best director that year?

http://www.filmsandtv.com/oscar.php?os=19902

[SportsTop]

Re: "The Departed"

yea, there is a difference between best director and best screenplay. The Departed was a well directed movie even though the screenplay wouldnt even make the top 5 of Scorsese movies.

btw, how Goodfellas didnt win best director is beyond me. The dinner scene alone in that movie should have won Scorsese best director. I imagine that movie is used a lot by film schools, etc.. does anyone know who won best director that year?

Trust me....you don't want to know.




Dances With Wolves - Best Picture and Best Director.

Worst. Choice. Ever.

[ZB9]

Re: "The Departed"

Trust me....you don't want to know.




Dances With Wolves - Best Picture and Best Director.

Worst. Choice. Ever.

lol Costner over Scorsese. wow thats crap

i can see Dances with Wolves winning best picture, but best director over Goodfellas? most of the oscar voters academy voting people must have been smokin crack that year

[Miles_Yuhas]

Re: "The Departed"

yea, there is a difference between best director and best screenplay. The Departed was a well directed movie even though the screenplay wouldnt even make the top 5 of Scorsese movies.

btw, how Goodfellas didnt win best director is beyond me. The dinner scene alone in that movie should have won Scorsese best director. I imagine that movie is used a lot by film schools, etc.. does anyone know who won best director that year?

The dinner scene was actually written and directed by Pesci.

[ODogg]

Re: "The Departed"

The dinner scene was actually written and directed by Pesci.

and partially adlibbed btw....

[Miles_Yuhas]

Re: "The Departed"

and partially adlibbed btw....

true true

[ODogg]

Re: "The Departed"

true true

Also, I read the other day that in Goodfellas when Ray Liotta is walking into that restaurant he says to that couple kissing "Hey Gene, get a room you two" or whatnot, that it was adlibbed, he just wanted to get his best friend Gene's name into the movie.