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A Reel Life film section

Summer 2008-9


The Departed movie review


Deadly Can Be Dreary


There is a school of thought that violence, and violent people, are thrilling. I didn't go there. Which means that I found The Departed flat and flagging instead of, I guess, terribly tough and titillating.

Set in Boston, The Departed opens with a Jack Nicholson monologue establishing that the Irish rose from ghetto to White House by TAKING -- being rough, tough, favour-hungry and lawless.

While that may sound like a recipe for a sensation-ful story, in these hands it isn't. The notable actors play down their performances, walking (or sitting) through them. They play people who don't suck the marrow from life, they just move through it harming as many others as possible as they claw along.

Movie poster, The Departed; Festivale film review

Movie poster, The Departed

Lies. Betrayal. Sacrifice. How far will you take it?

In a kill-or-be-killed world why sympathise with killers? If they die it's one less gunner.

So what can I say?

If you have to go see it, take a good book and a torch.

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by Ali Kayn
Due for Australian release Oct, 2006
For credits and official site details, see below
Search Festivale for more work by the film-makers below.

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Just the facts:

Title: Departed (2006) (2001)
Written by: William Monahan (screenplay) Siu Fai Mak and Felix Chong (2002 screenplay Mou gaan dou)
Directed by: Martin Scorsce
Produced by: G. Mac Brown .... executive producer Doug Davison .... executive producer
Edited by: Thelma Schoonmaker
Director of Photography: Michael Ballhaus
running time: 151 mins


The Players:


Official website:
IMDb: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0407887/combined
IMDb entry


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