Amazing Film--Stays With You Long After It's Over!

Rating: 10/10 (16 February 2007)

OK, so I'm one of those people who likes indie films, and usually roots for them at the Oscars and so on. I watched Babel a few weeks ago, and that movie is REALLY GOOD (and I laughed so hard at Little Miss Sunshine, I think I peed myself a little), don't get me wrong, but there is something about The Departed that makes it basically a perfect movie. Obviously, the acting is perfect, so I won't waste your time on that. Why should you see this movie? Because of the incredible directing by Scorcese (who is not usually a favourite of mine) (I'll get back to this in a moment), and the characters that form from both the actors and the writing. So, the movie is about (NOT REALLY A SPOILER, but if you know nothing about the plot and don't want to, stop here) a cop who spies for the local gang lord, and a cop who is undercover in the gang lord's ring. But here's the thing, (and if someone has already pointed this out, I apologize for the repeat) and it's totally brilliant, they are basically the same character. They're from the same background, same age, roughly same characteristics. They are two sides of the same coin. And what makes it better is one leads a life of seemingly happiness, while the other just can't seem to win. To me, that's what makes this movie so incredibly GREAT!! And Scorcese directs this aspect of the film so perfectly, I just can't explain it. It's just perfect. Props to Monaghan (and the original Hong Kong writers) for doing this so well. And the thing I love about this is that as far as I can tell, it's really meant to be more of a gangster or action film, or that seems as though it was the original intent, but instead this jewel emerges and it's not about gunshots and running through dark alleys, drugs, strippers and whores, but about these two men and their lives in this brief intersection. INCREDIBLE MOVIE!!! SHOULD BE SEEN BY EVERYONE!!!