Departure before Arrival.....

Even an unconditioned retard rat in a lab would pick The Departed as the worst of the movies directed by Scorsese. I had a good hunch about its theatricality after reading an interview with the cast on the Time around its release. Yet watched it for the sake of it. Post-modern conversations, ailment I know. And the movie is like one of those American crime soaps, which has lost its steam somewhere in mid nineties.
The characters are hazy, shallow and full of lets-get-this-over-type of confusion. And the screenplay, yes the screenplay is amusing even by American standards. Halfway I had to check if in fact it was the right movie. While Jack Nicholson was playing batman joker with a hangover, Matt Damon was busy changing his Sim faster than Jason Bourne to call his dad right in the Massachusetts Police engine room. Leonardo meanwhile was angry at the world and just weeping to have more valium. A few other aging stars thrown in to complete the tragedy that would have made even Shakespeare proud. And Hold your breath, to think that Scorsese had to win the Apologetic Oscar for this. Oh, mother universe, aint you such a paradox?

Consider some of the hilarious segments of the script that I remember-

Leo looking at Nicholson:
Hey look, I am not a rat okay?
I am not a rat okay?
OK. Valium withdrawal?

The sassy police shrink to Leo:
Your vulnerability is freaking me out? Is it real?
Hmm, er, well what do you think?

Alec Baldwin to Matt Damon:
You are like my son. You are in charge.
Wow great, do I get a new mobile too?



Comical is the word. Disgrace.