The popular Hong Kong police-triad drama "Infernal Affairs" has a solid screenplay, enabled "The Departed" a worthy adapted version with its stellar cast

Rating: 7/10 (22 November 2006)

When I saw the trailer for "The Departed" - just snippets from the movie, I thought how very much like Hong Kong's "Infernal Affairs" aka 'Mou Gaan Dou' 2002. There's no mention up front that it's a remake, but the impressive quadruple leads with Jack Nicholson, Leonardo DiCaprio, Matt Damon, Martin Sheen plus Mark Wahlberg, under Martin Scorsese's direction is simply irresistible. For first-time viewers who didn't get to see the original Hong Kong's "Infernal Affairs," the western back-story, characters and screenplay adapted to U.S. setting as a police-Mafia movie can stand on its own.
For those who have appreciated "Infernal Affairs" Hong Kong delivery, subtitles and all, with the irreproachable Tony Leung Chui Wai (in many director Wong Kar Wai's films: 2046; In the Mood For Love; Happy Together; Chungking Express) playing opposite the ever versatile singer-actor-can do no wrong Andy Lau (in "Full-time Killer" and many popular Asian romantic comedies, love stories, action drama, period or contemporary) - there is no comparison to the superior original. The layered plot line, the subtle performances from both cop & mole 'undercovers' - the literal translation of the Chinese film title can be 'no defining boundaries/rules' - a cop as mole and a mole as cop mixed in the police and triad worlds. How the writers came up with such an intriguing plot is beyond fascination. (Dialogs in 'The Departed' mostly can be picked up as direct translation from the Hong Kong version; the female part is expanded more for Vera Farmiga, just as Wahlberg's role is more fleshed out and critical, too.) The collaborative efforts of co-directors, Lau Wai Keung and Mak Siu Fai, with strong supporting cast, namely Anthony Wong as 'Wong Sir' who knows, understands Tony Leung's cop character, while Eric Tsang as 'Hon Sam' the villainous boss that appears to be amiable yet 'black-faced' in an instant - truly made "Infernal Affairs" an unforgettable Hong Kong film experience. Highly recommend - available on DVD.
On remakes in 2006, director Tony Goldwyn's "The Last Kiss" adapted by writer Paul Haggis (again), who provided steady ingredients for Zach Braff to shine in the leading role, and quite an opportunity for Blythe Danner paired with the ever so nuanced Tom Wilkinson as the parents - the remake version is actually satisfying with a more fulfilling ending than the rather abrupt one in the Italian original "L'Ultimo Bacio" 2001.