Memento and The Departed

The film industry survives on gimmicks. All the easily available good stories have gone, and it is only rarely that a good script is made, considering that the only truly original screen writer in hollywood is Charlie Kauffman. Every movie is a copy of a copy of a copy. Memento does not have a ground breaking story, it has been done to death. And all the noir that can be done has been done too. We have seen all the shady characters that is possible for the middle ground morality that Hollywood preaches, so there are no surprises there. Memento is textbook noir, in the way the characters are unapologetically and simplistically complicated bad guys and broads. The treatment of the screenplay is what makes this interesting. Without the gimmicky flashback sequences, this movie has nothing to offer. There are no great characters, there is no moral lesson to be learnt, there is no redemption, the actors are stale, except for Pantoliano. The direction on the other hand is deft and effective. The puzzle and red herrings, starting from a murder is well done. He does not lose track of the story and gives us clues all along the way. You are confused and disoriented at the end, with no real answers, and many new questions. Its the sort of brilliant gimmick that can make you famous in Hollywood, and it has worked for Nolan. The movie does nothing much for me, and I would not watch it a second time. But it is a well done film, and is probably one of the better noir movies you will see for a while. [6.5/10]


After Aviator, I was ready for anything by Scorsese. And the "anything" here was actually pretty good, although it did not feel like a Scorsese flick. What really hit me about the movie was how Jack Nicholson seemed so empty. For a guy who is used to filling up the screen even when he is not on it, it seemed weird. Which probably reflects on the characters, underdeveloped and just empty shells to carry the story forward. It is not every day that you walk out of a Scorsese movie feeling empty and unsatisfied, like he did not give you enough. It happened with the Aviator and now the Departed. The only time it felt like Scorsese was behind the camera was the end, where everyone gets blown up. Scorsese finds ways to reinvent himself every time, and I'm sure we can look forward to some stroke of genius in the future, but till then The Departed is a good effort, but then we do not expect just good efforts from Scorsese. [7.5/10]