Sahail AshrafTHE DEPARTED – Why Not Chain Women to the Kitchen Sink or Turn Them into Whores??
April 24th 2007 00:21
“The Departed!” Martin Scorsese film. Lead cast including Leonardo DiCaprio, Matt Damon and Jack Nicholson. Intriguing storyline – albeit with a disappointingly simple ending. Sounds like a good pick at the DVD store.
Well, I thought so too, but the film actually left me fuming. In many ways The Departed is a classic police versus underground film. Informants infiltrate both sides, which makes the narrative extremely watchable.
But come on? I thought the days of women fulfilling the role of sex object, with little brain beneath the bod were over? Apparently not! For a start, there’s not a single sight of a female cop in the entire film. The most woman we get is an extra in the FBI headquarters, who has her butt surveyed and whistled at. Nice! What’s even better is that she turns and smiles suggestively at the aforesaid whistler.
Moving right along. Then we get the peppering of derogatory one liners about women throughout the entire film. Okay, it enforces the fact that underground crims are ugly in every way, but the comments came just as often from the mouths of FBI investigators and cops – the supposed ‘good guys.’ My personal favourite was “you have to get married to prove you’re not a homo.” Lovely! There’s also the obvious: whores and a tarty girlfriend latched onto the underground “boss.”
Then, wait for it, here comes the best part. There’s the attractive psychiatrist who deals with crims and cops alike in a kind of ‘post traumatic stress disorder’ type of way. She comes across okay for about three seconds, then she becomes a naïve, brainless, emotionally unstable f*&% for Damon’s character. Oh, and also for DiCaprio’s character – can’t have her rooting just one of the lead characters. She was so shockingly created as a sex object, who was merely a host for children in the end, that we were convinced while watching the film that she would be the true informant. Nup! That’s all she was. And to top it off, when she finds out Damon’s true identity what does she do? (don’t worry I’m not giving anything away if you have any inclination to see this film). Nothing! What a good little woman she is, right to the very end.
Well, I thought so too, but the film actually left me fuming. In many ways The Departed is a classic police versus underground film. Informants infiltrate both sides, which makes the narrative extremely watchable.
But come on? I thought the days of women fulfilling the role of sex object, with little brain beneath the bod were over? Apparently not! For a start, there’s not a single sight of a female cop in the entire film. The most woman we get is an extra in the FBI headquarters, who has her butt surveyed and whistled at. Nice! What’s even better is that she turns and smiles suggestively at the aforesaid whistler.
Moving right along. Then we get the peppering of derogatory one liners about women throughout the entire film. Okay, it enforces the fact that underground crims are ugly in every way, but the comments came just as often from the mouths of FBI investigators and cops – the supposed ‘good guys.’ My personal favourite was “you have to get married to prove you’re not a homo.” Lovely! There’s also the obvious: whores and a tarty girlfriend latched onto the underground “boss.”
Then, wait for it, here comes the best part. There’s the attractive psychiatrist who deals with crims and cops alike in a kind of ‘post traumatic stress disorder’ type of way. She comes across okay for about three seconds, then she becomes a naïve, brainless, emotionally unstable f*&% for Damon’s character. Oh, and also for DiCaprio’s character – can’t have her rooting just one of the lead characters. She was so shockingly created as a sex object, who was merely a host for children in the end, that we were convinced while watching the film that she would be the true informant. Nup! That’s all she was. And to top it off, when she finds out Damon’s true identity what does she do? (don’t worry I’m not giving anything away if you have any inclination to see this film). Nothing! What a good little woman she is, right to the very end.
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Comment by Cibbuano
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Interestingly, the original Hong Kong movie on which The Departed is based had a much stronger female character, one that drove the plot much more. At least, that's what I remember...
Comment by Candice
I actually think it could have been a great film - it certainly started out with a lot of intrigue and some fantastic acting!
I didn't realise 'The Departed' was a remake of a Hong Kong movie. I wonder why they chose not to follow through on the female lead. It makes more sense, knowing there's an original because she started out as a potentially strong character, with a fair bit of build-up, but it all fizzled out to nothing.
It's interesting to get a guy's perspective on it too. I'm glad I'm not alone in noticing the lack of female presence there.
Thanks for dropping by.
Comment by Lilla
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I didn't notice the sexist stuff, but I did find this movie terribly dissapointing.
It left me convinced of the idiosy of arrogant men, who want to play Gods. For that I guess it was good in it's very pointless, futile way ... the ending was absolutely proof of that! *chuckle* I guess I am biased, becuase i pay my money for escapism not futility and frustration... I get that from life, why would I pay to watch it on the screen?
My rating?
A waste of two hours.
Lilla ...
Comment by Candice
I completely agree on this point. It's especially annoying when the movie starts out okay - then you keep waiting for a climax that never comes.