Both deal in the Irish mafia. Both deal with undercover cops whose minds are torn between justice and and their surreal lifestyle. Both end in bloody fashion with Mexican shootouts. So, which film do you prefer?
"Everybody be cool, you be cool" - Seth Gecko
They're both canon for me, and are the uber-Irish gangster films that we currently have.
I had never been more excited in my life for a movie as I was with The Departed...and I wasn't disappointed in the least bit. I saw it on opening night and went again the next week; and I'll be there on February 13th for the DVD.
I thought State of Grace was a good movie when I first saw it; I went ahead and got the DVD earlier this year, and it has quickly propelled itself to the elite of my favorite films.
My answer cannot be conclusive as of this writing. After I give The Departed another go-around, I'll be able to say with better certainty which one I enjoy more. At the meantime, I'll say that I give the edge to State of Grace, but that The Departed is an all-around better-crafted film.
One thing's for sure: They're both fantastic movies, and they do us Irish proud.
Cheers!
In vino veritas.
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Is it true that they are both based on the same true story?
State of Grace is my favorite at the moment (and Gary Oldman has a lot to do with that). The ending against the backdrop of the St. Patrick's Day parade chilled my blood. I'll have to see The Departed at least once more because the plot got annoyingly convoluted for me the first time around. But I will say this... Leo Dicaprio the man is becoming a whole lot more interesting to watch than Leo the boy used to be.
Is it true that they are both based on the same true story?
State of Grace is my favorite at the moment (and Gary Oldman has a lot to do with that).
The ending against the backdrop of the St. Patrick's Day parade chilled my blood.
But I will say this... Leo Dicaprio the man is becoming a whole lot more interesting to watch than Leo the boy used to be.
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yes, the Departed was a great film, but also a remake. In my opinion, State of Grace is the best original Irish mob movie to date. so many powerfuly performances! i usually watch it every st.patty's day eve:) gets ya in the spirit, that with some guinness draught/stout and good pals. Its a tie with Goodfellows, as my fav overall mob flick
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I guess I should see the Departed before answering, but if it is a 1/4 as good as State is, then it will be well worth watching.
As for the ending of State, read some of the other posts about the morons tearing it apart and saying it isn't realistic enough. WTF????
The almost black and white scene ( I guess it would be the gray area of his duties Terry fought with through the whole movie), set with the backdrop clips of New York's St. Patrick's Day parade, in a dark, seedy, smoke filled Irish tavern, with the sounds of bagpipes playing as the soundtrack, bullets flying, bottles busting, and blood splattering......it doesn't get any more real than that. Okay so maybe it does, but the film's ending is a classic and very realistic.
What do you think???
Boy can us Irish Boys drink!!!
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State of Grace has been a favorite movie of mine since it first came out. The Departed, I have only seen twice, but I loved it. Both are real stand outs, as Irish gangster movies.
I think that State of Grace will probably have more long term value.
IMO as good as Jack, Leo and Wahlberg were in The Departed. Oldman, Penn and Harris, were better in State of Grace.
However, The Departed won best picture, so we will no doubt see many more gangster movies made over the next few years, and that has to be a good thing.
IMO State of Grace is better.
I just watched The Departed, again, it's a great movie, but State of Grace is clearly better.
shareI have to agree with the majority on this one: 'State of Grace' is the better of the two. For one (and to me the most important element for any movie) the emotional impact is far greater in 'State of Grace'. I just cared way more for the plot and all the characters. They were mesmerizing. Even the small supporting ones like the young John C. Rieley as Stevie. Whereas with 'The Departed' I felt it was a good movie, but the characters were just a bit over the top and often played for laughs (a la Nicholson, Baldwin, and Whalberg). DeCaprio's was rather tragic, but beyond that I really didn't connect with the others. In 'State of Grace' Oldman (my favorite actor and on top of his game in the role of Jackie!), Harris, nd Wright, and Penn were spot on brilliant in the film. The score by the immortal Morracone gives me chills with its conflicting themes and inherant sadness (which is so much a part of all of the film's characters). That and the direction and cinematogrophy are incredible. The film's finale is poetic and the perfect end to a honest film about Irish-American gangsters today. It was so real to me I felt like I was watching a documentary. This one hit me like a hurricane and I can't imagine how sucessful this would be if it was re-released in theatres! This is one of my all-time favorite films. As a second-generation Irish-American, I can tell you that from my perspective, they nailed it!!
"I wanna' make Stevie a Saint." Jackie
i'm gonna go the safe road on this one and state that i too believe "the Departed" is the better crafted movie, and i dig the dark humor in the movie.
with that said, "State of Grace" is still my favorite. Oldman is just too good as Jackie. throw in an early quality performance from Sean Penn, and Ed Harris chewin up the material, and an amazing score from the legendary Ennio Morricone, and ya got one hell of a movie.
not to mention this was the first "gangster" film i saw with an Irish spin on it, so that automatically got my approval.
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Another factor is that State of Grace, is much more of an Irish mob movie than The Departed is. The Departed, is more of a cop movie, with Irish mobsters in it.
share"The Departed" is a masterpiece, "State of Grace" is merely very good. I didn't like the ending so much.
It's funny because Scorsese's "GoodFellas" was probably the reason "State Of Grace" didn't get the recognition it deserved back in 1990. Then Scorsese went on to make a very similarly themed movie with "The Departed".
Anyway, the most interesting question is, which movie had the better cast?
The Departed (DiCaprio, Nicholson, Wahlberg, Sheen, Farmiga, Damon, Baldwin, Winestone) or State Of Grace (Sean and Robin Wright Penn, Oldman, Harris, Riley, Turturro, Viterelli)? I really can't decide.
Quote from a later post: <i>But this is not the first time when such type of movies are completely ignored or get minimal recognition. Movies like "Donnie Brasco", "Carlito's Way", "Once Upon A Time In America" and "Sleepers", "Jackie Brown" and some others have gone under the radar, which is quite unfortunate.</i>
The Departed was Hollywood doing its best. As far as I could tell it mixed the winter Hill Gang and Murder Incorporated- but I'm not sure. I'm no expert.
But State of Grace was the one movie in this genre that was a dramatic composition with actors who tried to work within that parameter, and succeeded (in my opinion.) Before this I think it's the Godfather, Who's that Knocking at my Door, and Mean Streets. But that is just my opinion- I'm no expert.
I didn't particularly like "The Departed" that much. Not a bad movie at all, but way overrated, and clearly not good enough to win the best picture Oscar. This was the MPAA finally realizing how ignorant and stupid it has been by overlooking Scorsese in such criminal fashion. To me it was a pitty Oscar. "The Departed" is nowhere in the same class as "Mean Streets", "Taxi Driver", "Raging Bull", "Goodfellas" or "Casino". Those are the movies Martin Scorsese should have been recognized for and not "The Departed". To bad that the Academy seems to almost always be asleep at the wheel. I mean "Goodfellas" lost to "Dances with Wolves" ?!?!?!?
1990 saw the release of three of the best gangster pictures ever made, "State of Grace", "Goodfellas" and "Miller's Crossing". So if I have to, I would choose "State of Grace" over "The Departed" by a longshot. But at the same time I believe that "Miller's Crossing" is better than both movies put together! Not to mention the amazing soundtrack in "Miller's Crossing".
But this is not the first time when such type of movies are completely ignored or get minimal recognition. Movies like "Donnie Brasco", "Carlito's Way", "Once Upon A Time In America" and "Sleepers", "Jackie Brown" and some others have gone under the radar, which is quite unfortunate.
Spot on. Thank you. Aloha- Toby
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