Martin Scorsese's The Departed -- What Makes This Movie Great? (Episode 124)
Вставка
- Опубліковано 27 сер 2024
- Sign up for my newsletter. UA-cam channel updates, written reviews, and exclusive content -- free! -- eepurl.com/hbfI6v
Please follow me on Twitter for video releases and reviews: / drjoshmatthews
Letterboxd: letterboxd.com...
Understanding Movies 101 Course: joshmatthews.o...
The Great Movies Series: joshmatthews.o...
Comprehensive List of the Great Movies Series: joshmatthews.o...
Movie Cliches Series -- Video Playlist: • Why Pianos Transform C...
The Great Directors Series -- Playlist: • Werner Herzog's 10 Gre...
Shot for Shot Analyses: • Understanding Movies 1...
Great Science-Fiction Movie List: joshmatthews.o...
Other Movie Lists: joshmatthews.o...
Disclaimer: All reasonable comments are welcome, including reasoned disagreements. You will be banned for foolish talk, harassment, and hate speech on sight; it's a tremendous waste of life. I believe in freedom of association and, by extension, freedom of dissociation from you.
I actually love Nicholson in this. DeNiro would have been awesome but in a different way. Nicholson plays Costello as like teetering on the edge of insanity in a way that DeNiro wouldn't have. Departed is also top 5 Scorsese for me, top 3 probably. I'm from New England so I loved being in Boston instead of New York. And I just find it to be more accessible (watchable as you say) than some of his other movies. Easy to just toss on and enjoy. Great vid.
thank you. Glad you like Jack here, one of my favorites ever.
@@LearningaboutMovies Okay, Good. Can you do Scarface?
If Scorcese wanted to have a character that was a Steve Flemmi analog, DeNiro would've been good to play him. DeNiro's just too associated with all his other mob roles for me to be able to pull off the South Boston/Whitey-like different take on a mobster Scorcese wanted from the role tho
I really don't get how anyone did not liked Jack as Costello
Just finished this film. The twists at the end caught me off guard. Just amazing.
The first twist at the elevator caught me way off guard so imagine how bad i fell off the wagon by the end , even the baby plot twist had me spinning.
I loved leos character's story.it shows the struggle of a good man born in the wrong family who is trying to prove himself and trying to leave his past life,his criminal family's name behind.He tries so hard to prove himself as someone worthy,to get an honorable place in the society but always gets kicked down,he even gets used by his own seniors,gets blackmailed into going undercover just because of his family's background and dies an unworthy death.He tries his whole life to establish himself as a somebody but in the end dies as a nobody.such a sad ending.his story feels so real and the emotions leo gives out in his acting is simply amazing.he is one of the best actor of our generation.from whats eating Gilbert grape till now he has always given us outstanding performances.he really is a walking talking living Star 🌟
thank you.
You said it all perfectly here Leo’s character in this movie was a tragic hero who didn’t deserve to die.
I like your review, as I've seen the movie a few times! However Leo's character is named William Costigan not Cortigan and it's Vera Farmiga not famiglia!! Anyway thanks :-)
The character building, the tight, punching storytelling, the editing and music.. this movie is a masterclass for the popular artform of movie making. To me, this is what it's all about. Top 5 Scorsese for sure. Along with Cape Fear and especially Casino.
this movie base on hongkong movie..infernal affair
I absolutely love the departed it’s one of my all time favourite films of all time. I’ve got it on DVD AND BLU RAY. I would love a 4K version of the movie but I’ve searched everywhere and I couldn’t find it. Hopefully one day a 4K version is released
William Costigan....not Cotigan😅...Great review 👍 though.
This movie is just a masterpiece.
I was around 15 when I first saw this film and it was the movie which really deepened my appreciation of cinema as a whole. After watching this I started looking into other Scorsese flicks, as well as movies starring Jack Nicholson, which of course led me to Kubrick (The Shining was my first Kubrick film) and the rest is history. The Departed will always have a place in my cinephile heart.
intriguing path -- I would not have thought this movie would've led there. thanks for sharing.
@@LearningaboutMovies same here, for a long time The Departed and Birdman were in my top 3 films and they play a central part in my 'cinephilia' (youtube knows what older videos to suggest me)
@@rodrigomatosopecanha1035 damn bro hope you see this cause those are two of my favorite movies as well. got any other favorites u suggest
@@benminer4714 I think the best place to start is watching contemporary films the filmmakers behind your favorite films enjoy and those film which influenced them, just being careful about classics you might not be ready to (I, for instance, was curious about The Mirror and watched it too soon, did not enjoy, grasp or appreciate as much as I could have). Rocco and His Brothers is directed by one of Scorsese's favorite filmmakers, Luchino Visconti, and heavily influenced The Godfather, and is an easy film to grasp and digest if you're already familiar with Scorsese. I'll leave my Favorite Films list on letterboxd at the end (but I will update it in September). And you should watch the Cinefix IGN channel, go back to their old lists because they offer A LOT of insight and information, help you develop a sensitive eye and their lists always gave me some great film tips.
boxd.it/5wj76
This movie have 5 lead actors, Actors which are totally excellent on their characters. I think this is a great movie.
Infernal Affairs is pretty classic - gotta dig into that Criterion set soon
Just watched it, and it’s officially in my top 5 favourite movies
I love the Departed and have done since it came out and after multiple re-watches. Like you said it is no less enjoyable the more you watch it. I love all the performances in it but especially Di Caprio and Nicholson's they are captivating and wholly convincing. Definitely top 5 Scorsese for me.
thank you. one of the few defenders of the movie so far.
Watch the Chinese version, it’s also great!
@@Shawnny02 yes Infernal Affairs isn't it? ive heard it's good thanks
It gets better everytime I re watch it. Usually twice a year
Jack Nicholson did awesome work.
william costigan is the proper name not Cortigun.
if I misspoke, thanks.
At least three times... it messed with my ability to fully hear your review. That's my bad, but still... that's why you have more than one person pointing it out
I got lost the first time watching this but understood the overall theme. Watched "Infernal Affairs" and enjoyed that which in turn caused me to re-watch "The Departed" which made me enjoy it even more.
Your description of Colin reminds me of The Talented Mr Ripley, and then Saltburn, which was inspired, I think. That feeling of nothing, and actually destroying everything worthwhile to get power with nothing behind it.
I'm not sure if you have seen it, but The Age Of Innocence is a masterpiece. It demands careful viewing. As a literary adaptation/costume drama it ranks with Barry Lyndon, The Dead, Time Regained, and The Leopard.
I did, and while I didn't care for it as much as you, it's worth watching for any Scorsese enthusiast.
Gus van Sant is an aesthetic director. Could you please make a video about his movie 'The Finding Forrester'? Sean Connery and Rob Brown were a great combo in it. And of course, Gus van Sant's innovative style.
yes, I will think about that. thank you for the suggestion.
A very well executed movie.
I think a big part of what makes this movie so good is you have a ensemble cast of great actors acting either neurotic or like the biggest assholes on the planet. They all do both so well. Furthermore the're weirdly likable and sympathetic despite such assholary. Jack Nicholson brings this movie together. So I don't know where people are coming from when they say he's not great in this film. One minor detail, it's definately post 9-11 as cell phones were not THAT common untill after the event. All and all this is one of the greatest films of all time. Everything about it. Absolutely no flaws in my mind.
I loved this film. It wasn't original but it was definitely a high level remake. Personally, I think the film was given Oscars because he didn't get it in prior years. Infernal Affairs is great in its own right.
indeed, most people visiting here should be aware that they can watch the original, which is highly recommended.
Scorsese says this is the first film he ever made with a plot and that’s why he won as many awards as he did for this film, including his first and so far only Academy Award.
almost every film I can think of from him has a standard 3-act plot with clear plot goals.
i remember watching The Departed some time ago which then introduced me to Infernal Affairs which has since become my favorite movie. Definitely recommend giving it a watch as there is a new remaster in the criterion collection. The next movie Infernal Affairs 2 takes place in the decade preceding the first movie alongside the British Handover of Hong Kong. Though it is a prequel I would definitely recommend watching it after the first. I'm not really the literary type but i could go on about why i love those two movies for a solid 5 minutes realistically.
I'd say watching IA 1+2 along with the departed definitely deepened my appreciation for both movies. Recontextualizing IA with American Values and Catholicism is something done well in The Departed.
Movie name should be "rats" instead of the departed.
That shot on the head of leo blows your head too. Fu..king awesome movie.
Im not trolling. So don't attack me people! I didn't get it. I remember watching the film many years after its 2006 release and upon the film's completion I was nonplussed. I found myself asking "whats the point?". And when I most recently saw a clip of the film the same question popped up which lead me to this video - which is awesome and enlightening.
Scorsese is GOAT. I really enjoyed The Departed. I would love to hear an analysis further exploring Scorsese's Catholicism in his films. I think Departed still holds up as a good movie though it's not one of Scorsese's masterpieces (of which he has quite a few).
thanks, will do something on Mean Streets next year, maybe Gangs, and they may tie a few loose thoughts together to make a more comprehensive video.
The insults were fantastic
It’s William Costigan not Cordigan
thanks, corrected many times in the comments. Do you have anything else to add?
I would agree that the film is quintessentially Scorsese in its tone, themes, and the rhythm of the editing. Unlike his truly great films Taxi Driver, Raging Bull, and Goodfellas, however, after watching this twice I feel like it is simply a brilliantly woven together crime drama, and not much more. It's masterful for what it is but not a masterpiece. That said, it is probably his best film of the 2000's, as Gangs of New York and The Aviator are certainly fascinating films but are also a bit more uneven.
@Akash Pradeep Yea exactly. A beautifully orchestrated one, but just that at the end of the day.
I am planning to revisit Gangs at some point.
@@LearningaboutMovies Great, looking forward to it.
I can't quite agree with this tbh. I think the moral depravity of this movie keeps it apart from nearly every other gangster movie ever made. I think the different themes and philosophies, while similar to other Scorsese movies, are still incredibly impactful here and allow it to be more than just a brilliant crime drama
you should do a video on mean streets, i think that is an overlooked one in scorsese’s filmography
It's in my stack of movies to discuss in videos to be made next year (2022). Thank you!
Imagine if this movie were made in black and white.
2:05 william cortagan? 😅😅 its costigen mudafuka
its "it's," not its. and you spelled motherfucker wrong. Figure out spelling before criticizing anybody else's problem, mudafuka.
You made a whole video movie review getting the main characters name wrong every time, not really the same thing @learningaboutmovies
Nicholson was needed for this role as this isn't just a violent mafia boss, he's an aging mafia boss that's decsending down to madness. Deniro couldn't have pulled this role
Hi. Loved your essay. What are you refering to by “american values” at 4:00? Is it a Manifest Destiny-type thing? Thanks, man.
thank you. One interpretation is the Nicholson character is talking about acting on and shaping his own environment, possibly an individualistic ethos where I control my own world and make things happen according to my wants and desires. This has a range of applications, from entrepreneurship and the can-do spirit of changing things for the better, to the misplaced emphasis on the individual as the center of his own universe and the basic unit of society. As I teach Ben Franklin every two years, he's echoing the advice Franklin gives in his autobiography.
@@LearningaboutMovies this is very interesting. Modern western industry productivity-driven, performance-enhancing mindset, emulates the some keypoints from this speech. You got a reading list regarding this? Thanks! M
Loved it!!!
excellent!
Loved it
idk like 4:40 ha ok one time i was at a store and ppl were like wtf u doing cause i was scanning stuff on my phone and these ppl that would never talk to me asked hey what are u doing so i explain and right after they were done i tried to talk to them and they wouldnt have it my use was done
Jack Nicholson is amazing in this movie. Which movie of him would you recommend watching other than the ofcourse famous ones like shining, cuckoo's nest, etc.
I have considered a video just on him. His 1970s work is remarkable: Five Easy Pieces, The Last Detail, the King of Marvin Gardens, The Passenger ... it sort of goes on. These are good-to-great movies, btw.
@@LearningaboutMovies We will definitely love a video of Nicholson's movies
Chinatown. The shining.
FOR A FEW GOOD MEN, AS GOOD AS IT GETS, TERMS OF ENDEARMENT, ABOUT SCHIDMT, THE BUCKET LIST
Carnal Knowledge. The Postman Always Rings Twice
Do a review on Mean Streets
yes I have it in my stack to get to.
When i first read the synopsis for The departed I thought it was just a lame version of the movie Blackklansman. But when I watched the film, I thought it was better then the departed. This movie makes Blackklansman look like a mediocre action comedy.
I always liked the Departed. Gripping, but there are flaws. The love affairs, the cell phones at the end come to mind, but enjoyable. Also a bit like Donnie Brasco.. internal Affairs was good, but been ages. Since I saw it.
thank you.
Just watched it and it’s the biggest waste of time, literally everyone dies and nothing was accomplished
I just watched Hamlet, and the same thing happened, except Norway invaded.
Maybe check the accuracy of William COSTIGAN and the actress is Vera FARMIGA not Farmiglia???? Woops
fair enough corrections.
The korean remake is really good too
thank you.
Korean is original one
@@shoaibfarooq1587 actually hong kong is the original
Whats it called?
You should make a What Makes This Movie Great? About Masculin Feminin!
I just did a Breathless video, to be released. Wading into Godard is tricky because nobody is searching for that material, but it all fascinates me. Will do more on him in the future.
@@LearningaboutMovies Too bad :/
The only thing I dislike about this movie is jack Nicholson. I usually like him. Here he is just way over the top. It’s distracting. Everyone else? Fantastic.
I think most are of this opinion.
Mark Whalberg
thank you.
i don't care much at all for scorcese, and you know which movie i really don't get; raging bull. i just watched it yesterday cause it never interested my attention to view it. i fast forwarded thru a bunch... sure, i guess now in retrospect the banter b/n de niro and pesci from 1980 has grown dated and was more original in its time, and maybe that kind of new york realism, but overall not much about the film making caught my attention; a few sequences where shots and music were nicely interwoven, but overall, a pretty dull and narrow story... one repetitive and pretty poorly executed boxing scene after another. it hasn't aged well, and the dominating relationships with the females is also off-putting (always hate lifeless trophy wives in movies, takes away so much possibility for good subtext/dynamics). what's the point? a rise-and-fall story, and the cheesy ending of him doing jokes in a club. i just don't get it, whatever was fresh at the time has long washed down the drain ... nothing classic about it imho. peace
thank you.
Has anyone ever told you that you sound like Roger Ebert?
no I usually get Wally Shawn, though that doesn't make too much sense. Ebert and I share the same accent.
@@LearningaboutMovies Ah, that explains it.
@@LearningaboutMovies Ebert’s accent wasn’t very noticeable to me, but his accent really came out whenever he said “because” in a review
I’m not a fan. I’ve seen this movie several times. It’s always takes all of my strength to make it to the end. It’s unbelievable/uninteresting every step of the way. Most of the performances are either uneven or just bad. Thanks for another good video.
you're welcome.
Bro what
It's an overrated film. The plot points stretch believability from beginning to end. Nicholson's performance is a little to goofy and flamboyant at times for a film that takes itself very seriously. That type of portrayal would have fit better in a Tarantino film. Depp plays a similar character (based on the same real life person) in Black Mass and really nails the evil menacing crime boss thing. The film is also about 30 minutes too long. Ok, ok, ok Scorsese we get it.."Gimme Shelter" is a really good song, does it have to be in every single movie? Compare The Departed to another highly pedigreed crime movie with a famed director and all star cast like The Untouchables or King of New York, it's not in the same league.
The Untouchables is an not-so-subtle film about the goodness of government drug-fighting organizations, which at this point in time appears not all that nuanced, as the War on Drugs is a never-ending boondoogle. I wrote about the film here: letterboxd.com/joshmatthews/film/the-untouchables/
What I like about "Departed" is the "Scanner Darkly" cop-becoming-criminal thing that tests the reality/perception boundaries of everyone in the film, including society itself, which is paying for cops to act as criminals to stop the criminals who are infiltrating the cops. Lots to be learned just from this alone.
This movie is all about Leo. Marky Mark and the funky bunch almost ruined it. Jack decided to just take a dump and get a paycheck. The director does introduce the great Van Morrison and the cover of Pink Floyd’s Comfortably Numb
You kidding me, this was Marky Marks best performance because Scorsese made him actually be a character.
It is not great. Pretty mediocre for a Scorsese film.
A mediocre Scorsese is a great film.
This movie was shit compared to what it was based on, "Infernal Affairs." This movie just added 50 minutes of crappy filler to a tightly well-written crime drama, added some Southy accents, added some Rolling Stones, and ruined the ending. That is all. The original is so much well-paced, concise, and well executed.
If this movie is shit, I don't want to smell the 95% of other movies that it is better than.
I saw The Departed when it came out, it in the theater, and enjoyed it, but I didn't like the quick-cut editing, I thought it was overdone. I agree with you the counselor's sex scene was pointless. But once I saw the original film, Infernal Affairs, my appreciation for The Departed waned. Remakes or homages are not bad in general, but Scorsese just hacked it up. It's almost the same movie except for the counselor character, which Scorsese simply merged two characters into one and he made her kind of slutty. Stupid. Thanks for the review! Dig your channel.
thank you very much.
Infernal Affairs is way better honestly....
I wonder what Scorsese thinks...
Certainly Not
I hate this movie imo. It ruined my day
I’ve never understood the hype for this film. Some incredible performances, but the episodic pacing makes it feel like an HBO television series crammed into two and a half hours
the first question would be what is the point of the pacing and could it have been better to suit its other purposes? I am not sure of the answers here, not having thought about it. Pacing seemed okay to me, except the therapist's very easy seduction by DiCaprio. (She's got to be harder to get than that?!)
Infernal Affairs is a better film
many similar opinions.
Departed Is
This is just a lame and poorly directed remake of a true masterpiece(Infernal affairs).
You can do a side by side and realise that IA is sooo much better acted, casted, directed and written,
It doesn't even feel like a Scorsese-film. It just feels like a lame made for tv version of a much better story.
Dicaprio & Damon are both horribly miscast. Nicholson is enjoyable but poorly used.
No thanks!
okay. the adjective problem appears here -- "poor", "lame." easy to say but hard to define. doing so reveals key critical assumptions.
You are wrong in every word you just wrote
You are wrong