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When East Meets Eastwood: How BEE VANG became an actor, and came to co-star in one of the best films of 2008

At the age of seventeen (as of this writing), Bee Vang has already put behind him the kind of break that many actors spend the majority of their careers trying to land - a co-starring role in a prestigious Hollywood film, directed by and starring an icon of American cinema.

Such was Gran Torino, a 2008 release starring and directed by Clint Eastwood that proved to be one of the most critically-praised films of Eastwood's career. And Bee Vang, who played Thao Vang Lor in the film - the next-door-neighbor who would turn out to be the biggest pain in Clint Eastwood's character's behind ... and, ultimately, his best friend. Vang's performance was praised by critics and fans alike, as well, and has already earned the teen from Minnesota a core group of fans.

Not bad for a guy who had no previous acting experience (or, for that matter, ambitions) going into it all.

Born in Fresno, California, Bee Vang grew up in a big, quite extended family; his Hmong (an ethnic group originating in the mountainous regions of southeast Asia forced, years ago, to flee their homeland in search of political asylum) parents had emigrated to the United States just a few years before his birth, and Bee remembers his childhood as being constantly surrounded by family - literally, with sometimes as many as fifteen people sharing the same home. "It was always cramped, and sometimes tough," Bee says, "but I was so young, it was okay."

When Vang and his immediate family - which includes four brothers and one sister - relocated to Minnesota, it was there that Bee met "Miss D," a teacher who would nurture his artistic side. "I fell in love with the piano and viola," he remembers, "and Miss D always encouraged me; she found me a piano to play on, and bought me a viola." When Miss D passed a few years ago, Vang even played one of her favorite songs at the funeral - and in fact, in an otherwise completely professional yet personable demeanor, it's in talking about Miss D that Bee Vang's voice hints at the emotional bond he still has with his inspirational teacher: "Remember the part in Gran Torino, when I go to help that lady across the street with her groceries?" he asks. "Well, if you listen close, you can hear me call her 'Miss D' in the movie."

It's this kind of honor and respect that led Bee to originally pursue classical music; he was playing by 7th grade, and listening to classical music to sleep. "I found out, though, that I wasn't disciplined enough to be that good," he adds. "That, and I was never really encouraged much by my parents, who wanted me to pursue a more stable career. So after Miss D died (from brain cancer), I was inspired to go into neuroscience and medicine. I volunteered at local hospitals, and even got my CNA (Certified Nursing Assistant certification) through an internship."

But Bee's love for the arts - and, in particular, for film - was rekindled via an apprenticeship with a local Hmong filmmaker. Soon Bee learned, however, that his own ideas and work were a bit too controversial for that market, and by 9th grade he'd left the apprenticeship when there were too many compromises and changes requested of him. Even by this time, Bee had never had any desire or interest in acting ... but then received an email that changed his life.

An ad in the Hmong Times newspaper stated that a film company was seeking local Hmong actors for a feature film. Not expecting anything, Bee sent in his information and a photo - and, to his surprise, was called about an audition. "They called me, and sent me a side (a portion of a film script containing only the lines the actor is to read for his/her audition) to read," Bee recalls. "I prepared and went to the audition, while still juggling school and everything, and six weeks later got the callback. Several more weeks, and they told me I had the role."

And when asked his reaction to landing a major role in a film co-starring and directed by the one and only Clint Eastwood? Bee stifles a chuckle before replying. "I know girls are supposedly more emotional, but I realize maybe guys can be; looking back, I felt like this would give my artistic side a chance again; the opportunity for me to really push myself. I jumped up, screamed - even cried a bit. It was a real life-changing moment. Being Hmong, my parents have always pushed me into a stable career - professor, teacher, doctor - so this was an emotional experience for me." Vang mentions a lack of Eastwood star power at the auditions, "but for me that was good; less intimidating. I was less nervous because of it, and didn't meet Mr. Eastwood until my first day of shooting, three months later."

And for sure, meeting Clint Eastwood that day was something Bee Vang will never forget. "I was scared, but kept looking for him that day. I really wanted to make a good impression, didn't want to go overboard, but just shake his hand - and when I did, I think I said something like 'Nice to meet you, Mr. Callahan'. So much for a good impression!

"Until then I'd seen him as the intimidating, scary guy from the Dirty Harry movies. But he's just a regular person; another human being. He's not a 'star,' he's just ... Clint Eastwood - and I realized he's a very down-to-earth, serious guy."

Vang expands on his impressions of Eastwood further, when asked what working with him was like. "We never really talked on-set, other than our scenes together. He has his own style, and when you're on set he lets you know you're fine and will be taken care of. He's very quiet; I tried to ask him about his career and the industry, ask his advice, but only usually got, like, five minutes with him on set at a time, so it was hard to talk with him - but he told me that he kept that distance on purpose, to keep the same feel of the relationship that Thao and Walt had going on on-screen . So I learned all I could, for as long as I was with him, and also applaud Mr. Eastwood for giving Hmong people a chance to be seen and heard. He (Mr. Eastwood) works way too much, though - acting, directing, post-production; I heard that Gran Torino was going to be his last job as an actor, and I'm proud to have been a part of that."

Because of his outstanding, very realistic performance as Thao, it was natural to ask Bee about similarities he and his character have (warning: a few Gran Torino spoilers here!). "I think I'm smarter than Thao. Smarter, and maybe more aggressive. Thao is passive-aggressive, not as professional in his conversation. But there are similarities. Thao got the car - I got the piano from Miss D. My sister is a wonderful influence in my life, like Thao's. I've been greatly influenced by the women in my life, supported by women - there are many similarities to me and Thao, only if you gave Thao more of a chance to come out of his shell." Bee even remembers a time, like Thao helping his neighbors with the groceries in the film, when Bee himself spotted a blind man once, during the winter, whose path was blocked where he was about to walk. Like Thao, Bee jumped out of the car to help the man.

And that same guy still seems to reside in Bee Vang, even with all the attention the film has brought him. "I'm still very self-conscious. I'd never even given speeches in school. And when the premiere was coming, suddenly I had to give school speeches, interviews, speak in front of forums; I hadn't even prepared what to wear to the premiere! It still seems like a dream, that someone like me could even step up to such heights to work with Clint Eastwood in a film like this - and I remember I even screamed in the car on the way to the premiere. I'm trying, though, to be a better public speaker, and am proud to be a representative of the Hmong people. I like to feel like I helped pave the way in Hollywood a like - like maybe what happened to me was a stepping stone for other Asian and minority actors."

And while he's currently back in school in Minnesota, don't think for a moment that Bee Vang is a one-shot wonder - or going back to medicine. "I'm learning - reading - trying to become better with theater and acting in film. I've starred in a local Hmong filmmaker's film, Fallen City, that's due out in December, and had a small role in another independent film, Anatomically Incorrect. Right now, I'm just trying to study and learn, before eventually leaving for California or New York City." And Vang has good influences for his career goals, as well - favorite actors include Peter O'Toole, Daniel Day-Lewis, Tony Leung, and Leslie Cheung, and Bee cites directors like Chan-wook Park, Wong Kar-wai, Korean arthouse director Kim Ki-duk, Sean Penn, and of course Eastwood himself as his inspirations.

"I'd like to get a degree in acting and filmmaking - to become more known internationally, and work everywhere with directors all over the world. I need to finish college first, then get into film - more movie and acting opportunities. Maybe even directing," he adds with a small sigh.

And with a film Gran Torino as his debut, it seems like Bee Vang may already be well on his way.

ONE MISSED CALL

Director: Takashi Miike

Stars: Kou Shibasaki, Shin'ichi Tsutsumi, Kazue Fukiishi, Anna Nagata

Year: 2003

Rating: R

You can read the review for the 2008 American remake of this J-horror (Japanese horror) film in the archives of this very blog, here; I gave that disaster of a film one star, and in fact thought the experience of watching it so bad, I just knew the original Japanese version would have to be better. Happily, it even exceeded my most humble of expectations.

The plot is the same here - just told so much better, and with a heck of a lot more suspense and tension. Kou Shibasaki plays Yumi, a popular and pretty student about to be thrown into some very weird circumstances ... when her close friend Yoko (Anna Nagata), one night when the two girls are together, receives a call on her cell phone that comes with a strange ringtone she doesn't recognize. Checking the called ID after missing the call, Yoko sees the caller is ... herself. Not only that, but the time and date of the call are a day-and-a-half away. Confused, Yoko checks the voicemail left on her missed call - and the two girls here not only Yoko's voice saying "Oh, it's raining" - but this innocent sentence is soon followed by Yoko's screaming, and then the message cuts off.

The girls are (understandably) freaked out by the message, but soon blow it off as some kind of trick played on Yoko by one of their friends. That is, until 11:04pm the next evening - the exact time and date displayed on the missed call on Yoko's phone - when Yoko is walking home and talking to Yumi on her phone, notices the rain just starting to come down ... and seconds after saying "Oh, it's raining" to Yumi, is killed when she's thrown off a bridge, screaming, onto a moving train.

Yoko's death is declared a suicide, but Yumi knows better. And when the guy Yoko liked - who was in Yoko's address book on her cell - gets a similar missed call, then dies right in front of Yumi's eyes, the pattern of the eerie ringtone that signals you calling yourself from the future, foretelling your own death, begins. It doesn't take long before Yumi finds herself on the receiving end of such a call, and finds herself teaming up with a mysterious man named Yamashita (Shin'ichi Tsutsumi) - whose sister is somehow involved in all of this - with only fourteen hours to find out what's going on ... and stop her own death.

Seemingly borrowing a bit from Ringu, or even Ju-on: The Grudge, in places, One Missed Call still manages to maintain a freshness and suspense that keeps the film well-paced throughout. Like most J-horror, the film relies much more on creating an effective and creepy mood through the building up of tension and dread than outright gore, and here it works very well. There is also, in J-horror style, a hint of sadness to the ghostly tale, once you know what's going on, the story told through symbolism as well as a direct narrative style. While not outright "scary" in the way most Westerners would view horror films, there is a downright creepiness here that will get a bit under your skin, with a few jolts to make you jump in your seat along the way. Even the ending, with its nice twist, is something you don't see coming.

MUCH better than its remake (but isn't that usually the way?), the original Japanese version of One Missed Call (which has two sequels I'd now like to see) is pretty much a must-see if you like J-horror - but remains a suspenseful, chilling ride worth taking even if you don't. ***1/2 - Reel Cool-Reel Awesome

TWILIGHT

Director: Catherine Hardwicke

Stars: Kristen Stewart, Robert Pattinson, Billy Burke, Peter Facinelli, Cam Gigandet, Ashley Greene, Kellan Lutz, Taylor Lautner

Year: 2008

Rating: PG-13

At first it seemed a good idea to read the book first, so I avoided seeing this film ... until I realized it might not be such a bad idea to view the movie "fresh" - to avoid the inevitable comparisons between novel and film that might make me enjoy the film less (as, in almost all cases, the novel contains so much more).

Which is, perhaps, why I enjoyed the film version of the first book in Stephenie Meyer's phenomenally-successfully series as much as I did; Twilight is a moody, visually intriguing and dramatic love story that has enough special effects and violence to suck guys into seeing it, as well.

Kristen Stewart stars as Bella Swan, who has just moved from Phoenix to the small town of Forks, Washington to live with her father. Her mother, in Arizona, has a new boyfriend who plays minor league baseball, and Bella wanted to give them their time as they are planning a long, cross-country trip. It's been awhile since Bella has been to Forks, however - plus she's not all that close to her dad. But her mood and pale skin seems to belong in the tiny northwestern town, where fog and rain are far more the norm than the exception.

Enrolling in the local high school, Bella - as the "new meat" - makes a few new friends easily, and definitely has the attention of the local boys - but what intrigues her most are the Cullens, a group of five adopted teens who also attend Forks High School, but never talk to or associate with anyone other than each other. In particular, Bella is intrigued with Edward (Robert Pattinson), the tall, handsome and pale leader of the group who walks around looking all sullen and brooding even as the girls titter about how hot he is whenever he passes by. In Biology class, Bella finds herself sitting next to Edward - seemingly the perfect chance at getting to know him a bit - but on that first day in class, Edward seems to be appalled by - of all things - a scent or smell coming off Bella, and bails from the room minutes after she sits down next to him.

From there, things get weirder; more and more, Edward comes off a both drawn to and repulsed by Bella at the same time. Each encounter they have confuses and irritates Bella, who sees Edward as running hot and cold for her. But when an accident in the school parking lot almost costs Bella her life, everything changes when Edward saves Bella's life - and displays a level of super-human strength and speed that, along with his pale skin and color-changing eyes, starts Bella on a search for the truth that leads her immediately to one word: vampire.

And when Edward can no longer ignore what she knows, he lets down his guard and the two begin a romance that leads to the Cullen family's eventual acceptance of her (well, for the most part) - and to genuine danger for Bella, as a trio of rogue vampires settles temporarily into Forks, with one of them in particular taking not only a predator's interest in the girl ... but also a malicious delight in the idea of destroying Edward.

Twilight, in short, lives up to the hype. Director Catherine Hardwicke, along with a cast of talented young actors, has fashioned a film with a near-perfect blend of drama, romance, and action that should please fans of any of these genres ... without having too much of any of them to annoy non-fans. Stewart and Pattinson do an excellent job of creating the necessary chemistry to make Bella and Edward's love story work, and the look and moodiness of the film perfectly reflect the Pacific Northwest, as well as the story that unfolds. I was thrown, at first, when the movie ended and I realized that not once were actual fangs ever shown - no hissing, spitting vampires here, and even when someone is bitten you never get a hint of over-long incisors doing the deed - but while that omission was more than noticeable, I think in the end the film actually benefits from the lack of toothy grins; somehow, it makes the vamps that much more human - one of us. Even the hint of the wolf-pack to come, in the sequel - along with the very end of the film, which definitely sets up the forthcoming New Moon - was intriguing enough to assure my place in line for the follow-up to this entertaining, visually intriguing film.

But yeah, this reviewer has joined the Twilight bandwagon; happily so. All the hype aside, there's quality here worth seeing. And while I'm glad I didn't read the book first, to keep the film pure, I more than ever want to read the book now. **** - Reel Awesome

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INTO THE WILD

Director: Sean Penn

Stars: Emile Hirsch, Marcia Gay Harden, William Hurt, Jenna Malone, Catherine Keener, Vince Vaughn, Kristen Stewart, Hal Holbrook

Year: 2007

Rating: R

Into the Wild is the haunting true story of young college graduate Christopher Johnson McCandless - here played beautifully and effectively by Emile Hirsch. I was told, after seeing the film, that it would stick with me for awhile afterward - something I couldn't see happening, even after I watched the movie. And yet, since seeing it the film has invaded my thought more than a couple of times, and I found myself even having a dream last night in which it was me in McCandless' shoes ... hence the reason I used the word "haunting" - and the reason you should see this film.

Sean Penn (who also wrote the script) shows his finally-honed skills behind the camera here, directing a top-of-the-line cast in the story of McCandless, an athletic college graduate who - simply put - gives up the life and world he knows to explore the country on foot, en route to finally getting to Alaska and living in the wild. He's an educated, good-looking, and highly intelligent guy, a well-read fellow who quotes Kerouac and Thoreau and has a sister (Jenna Malone) who dotes on him - as well as two parents (Harden and Hurt) who seem to have their act together, but who (we learn as the film goes on) are actually quite screwed up, and have emotionally distanced their children from them in the process.

After an early, tense luncheon with this McCandless family, after Chris' graduation from Emory (in which viewers get a good idea of just how they do - and don't - get along), Chris - without telling anyone - donates most of his bank account ($24,000) to charity, burns all his identification and credit cards, and sets out on his eventual journey to Alaska. When his car is trapped in a mudslide fairly quickly, Chris even abandons it (removing and taking the license plate with him, to ditch later), setting off on foot ... and the rest of the film is about his life on the road, on the way to Alaska, and the people whose lives he touches - and those who, in turn, touch and shape him as a man.

Whether a hippie couple who take him under their wing for a bit, a good-natured guy who gives Chris a temporary job processing wheat, or a Danish couple Chris comes across who tell him the best way to kayak into Mexico on a river, Chris travels the United States and marvels at nature at its finest, as he tries to get up enough money to get to Alaska at last.

Which he does, in the opening of the film, and the rest of his tale flashes back and forth between his Alaskan adventure ... and how he got there. Hal Holbrook, Oscar-nominated for his work here, is warm and wonderful as Ron Franz, a guy Chris comes particularly close to, as a grandfather figure, toward the end of his journey to the Alaskan wilderness. But it's Chris' story all the way ...

As well as the story of Mother Nature in all its glory. You not only come to sympathize with and love Christopher McCandless (who, once on the road, goes now by "Alexander Supertramp"), but also to, through him, perhaps examine your own life, and what may or may not really be important in it. It's a long film - nearly 2-1/2 hours - but Penn doesn't waste a frame, and many of those frames are filled with beauty and energy that alone make the film worthwhile.

As does the story of Christopher McCandless. I was very sorry I already knew the ending of this film before seeing it - and I pray if you don't, you will see the film before finding out yourself; the emotional impact of the film may be that much greater if you don't. But either way, this is a film that may be watched through your eyes - yet somehow, reaches past them and your brain and heart to somehow touch your soul. It's quite a film, alternately breaking your heart even as it makes it soar, and I hope anyone who has ever wanted to find themselves in a world so big has a chance to see it. ****1/2 - Reel Awesome-Reel Must-See

ATONEMENT

Director: Joe Wright

Stars: James McAvoy, Keira Knightley, Saoirse Ronan, Juno Temple, Romola Garai

Year: 2007

Rating: R

A moving, beautifully-crafted and ultimately satisfying film (even with its less-than-upbeat ending, or even storyline), Atonement is a fine example of filmmaking that contains two terrific performances by James McAvoy and the (deservedly so) Oscar-nominated Saoirse Ronan.

The film opens in 1935, on the brilliant Ronan as 13-year-old Briony Tallis - an aspiring writer of stories who has just completed her first play. Briony is an introspective, serious girl who tends to take charge of things, and lives with her well-to-do family in the English countryside. She's already had a crush on the handsome gardener, Robbie (James McAvoy) - the son of the mansion's housekeeper - for a couple of years, but soon learns on this day that her older sister Cecilia (Keira Knightley, really stunning here) seems to be beginning a fledgling relationship with Robbie. In fact, when Robbie gives Briony a note to give to Cecilia - a note he accidentally put into the envelope instead of the one he intended to go to her - the nosy Briony reads the note herself ... and that triggers a series of events that ends with Briony accusing Robbie of a horrible crime he did not commit, even though she may really think he did (though that may mostly be due to her jealousy).

Several lives are destroyed with this accusation, and the rest of the film is both Briony's story - of guilt and shame, as she grows older and realizes the truth at last - and the romance of Robbie and Cecilia, as Robbie is forced to serve in the army in order to escape jail, and heads off to France to fight in World War II, all the while longing to both be reunited with Cecilia and clear his name.

To say more would be to reveal too much, but know that everything in the film - from direction to acting to cinematography to costume design to the Oscar-winning musical score - works on a nearly flawless level. The film is compelling, heartbreaking, suspenseful, a bit shocking, and very real in nearly every detail. Ronan is amazing as the young Briony, utterly convincing to the point you'd like to ring her neck for what she's done, and if ever a casting director wondered whether James McAvoy's talent and charisma could carry a film - wonder no more. Keira Knightley adds the right blend of passion and pathos to Cecilia, never overacting in a role it would have been so easy to do so in - and even Juno Temple, as the young cousin Lola, heads a fine supporting cast that help make an already great film work.

The storyline jumps back and forth in time a bit, so this IS a film you can't have on without watching it all the way through - no chatting or leaving the room while it's playing - but then again, it's the kind of film that draws you in and holds you with its story and characters, so that shouldn't be a problem. Atonement is both a film of love and war ... but maybe more, a film that questions whether there are some wrongs - horrible, ghastly wrongs - that can ever be righted again. ****1/2 - Reel Awesome-Reel Must-See

7 FACES OF DR. LAO

Director: George Pal

Stars: Tony Randall, Barbara Eden, Arthur O'Connell, John Ericson, Noah Beery Jr.

Year: 1964

Rating: N/R

I had no idea what to expect from this film; I had heard the title before, knew it starred Tony Randall - but that was about it. When it started out a western, I was less than enthusiastic; somehow the title and a western theme didn't seem to match up at all. But as the movie played out, I fell more and more under its spell; directed by special-effects-wiz-at-the-time George Pal, 7 Faces of Dr. Lao is an enchanting fantasy-western that showcases the both Pal's artistry and Randall's versatility in creating characters.

The film opens with the Chinese Dr. Lao (Randall) arriving in the small, down-on-its-luck western town of Abalone, Arizona in the early 1900's, riding a donkey. Lao wears the stereotypical straw hat, has a long white beard and glasses, smokes a long, thin pipe and speaks like a bad Charlie Chan impersonator - and when he arrives in town, he ties up his donkey, leaving a goldfish bowl on the seat containing one fish, and enters the offices of newspaper publisher/editor Ed Cunningham (John Ericson) to place a full-page display ad.

That ad is about Dr. Lao's circus, which has come to town for the weekend - and between the ad and flyers put up all over town, the citizens of Abalone are more than interested in riding just out of town to attend. The night, however, Lao attends a town meeting as well, where a land developer named Stark (Arthur O'Connell) is trying to buy up all the homes and land from the citizens of Abalone, giving them more than their homes are worth if they'll move. Dr. Lao makes his presence known at the meeting, where publisher Cunningham and a beautiful widowed schoolteacher named Angela Benedict (Barbara Eden, a gorgeous brunette here) seem to be almost the only two people in town who oppose the sale.

The next night, at Lao's circus, the people of Abalone are treated to one interesting and bizarre character after another (all of which are played by Randall): there's Merlin the magician, who seems to be mediocre at best; the Abominable Snowman, who is the muscle and also provides musical and comical entertainment; Medusa, who must be viewed through a mirror or her gaze will turn you to stone; Pan, the god of joy, who allows you to see inside yourself to your deepest fantasies; the Giant Serpent, who allows you to see who you really are inside in his face; and (my personal favorite) Apollonius of Tyana, the fortune teller cursed with telling nothing but the exact, unvarnished truth ... no matter how much misery it causes. And Dr. Lao, of course, plays host to the entire thing.

Each person who visits any of the above is enthralled and changed by his/her experience. In particular, not only are the scenes with Apollonius a bit startling, but Barbara Eden's scene with Pan, for 1964, must have seemed quite daring and even a bit controversial; 45 years later, I was even a bit surprised by how far (again, for its time) the scene went. But it's the second night of the circus that Dr. Lao saves for a special presentation for the people of Abalone; a presentation that shakes up everyone and shapes their town's future.

I ended up loving this film. Randall thankfully ditches the stereotypical Charlie Chan-style accent (for the most part) early on, making Dr. Lao much more convincing, and he's excellent as all the members of Lao's circus, as well (I almost didn't recognize him as Medusa; he looks almost like a young Boy George!). The film is entertaining, funny, charming, and an enjoyable fantasy with a good message at the end that won't hit you over the head. I "discovered" this film, for the first time, on Turner Classic Movies, during a salute to George Pal's work, and I'm really glad I did; this is a wonderful film that's the perfect showcase for just how good Randall could be beyond Felix Unger; he will make you believe, as he says in the film, that "the whole world is a circus, if you look at it the right way." ***1/2 - Reel Cool-Reel Awesome

THE DEPARTED

Director: Martin Scorsese

Stars: Leonardo DiCaprio, Matt Damon, Jack Nicholson, Mark Wahlberg, Martin Sheen, Vera Farmiga, Alec Baldwin

Year: 2006

Rating: R

I'm not exactly sure how a film with such a brilliant, talented cast and one of the industry's best directors can turn out to be such a disappointment ... but, sadly, that's how The Departed played out for me. The film is well-loved by many, Scorsese fans especially, which may make this one of the less popular reviews you'll find here - but sloppy editing and continuity issues threw me right out of the story early on, and to me the script had enough plot holes to make me outright scratch my head in a few scenes; too many "conveniences" in the film lost credibility for me, and I apologize in advance if I can't say much more, because I don't want to give the film away.

Regardless of all the above, Leonardo DiCaprio turns in one of the best performances of his career playing Billy Costigan Jr. - a rookie state trooper brought up on the mean streets of South Boston whose father was basically a "good guy" while the rest of the men in his family were all basically criminals or deadbeats. After Billy graduates from the academy, he's brought into the offices of Captain Queenan - who, along with Staff Sgt. Dignam (Mark Wahlberg) - give Costigan a hell of a work-over about his past, wondering just what side of the law Billy might really be on, underneath.

There's a reason to the grilling, however, beyond getting to the truth; once both officials are sure that Costigan is a cop at heart, they make the guy an offer he can't refuse - and DiCaprio agrees to be part of a scheme that Queenan is hoping will smoke out a mole in the police's Special Investigations Unit division - a mole working for, no less, the biggest crime boss in Boston, Frank Costello (Jack Nicholson). The plot involves Billy appearing to be disgraced and thrown off the force committing a crime, and Costigan even cops a short prison term, in order for the entire thing to look legit. Soon, Billy finds himself out of prison and making contacts, getting closer and closer to working for Costello himself ...

As, meanwhile, the real rat at the SIU is none other than its most squeaky-clean cadet, Colin Sullivan (Matt Damon). Early in the film, we see Costello befriend Colin and his family, earning loyalty in the future state cop even while he's still a young boy. That loyalty carries over, and as Sullivan - who is smart, and one hell of a manipulator - moves up in the ranks of the police force, he makes sure to keep Costello and his boys constantly informed of every move that could jeopardize them.

Once each new cop's situation is set up, the rest of the film is basically how unusually close their lives parallel (down to sleeping with the same police shrink, played by Vera Farmiga) ... as the two become aware of each other, each trying desperately to learn of the other's identity. Billy comes terribly close, at one point, following Colin (whose face he has not been able to see) down a dark alley - but when Billy's cell phone suddenly goes off ... a cell phone, that is, that was on vibrate a few minutes earlier, when Billy was in the theater where he first spotted Colin and Costello together in the first place.

That's just one example of the sloppy lack of continuity in the film; in some cases, that and the editing are just plain bad (in one instance, toward the end, a character has his hands cuffed behind his back - a major detail in the scene - but then, when he falls up against the wall of an elevator, his left hand automatically jerks out to save his fall, totally free ... yet the camera changes angles a second later, and he's cuffed again). Also, while DiCaprio is mesmerizing as Billy Costigan, there was something about Matt Damon's performance, to me, that just felt like acting; I really couldn't buy his character, especially as the film went on. Jack Nicholson - well hell, I'd watch Jack Nicholson in a TeleTubbies episode (hmm, that would be interesting) ... but as much as I love the guy, here he's definitely playing "Jack Nicholson" more than "Frank Costello" throughout.

The Departed (a remake of the much-better Hong Kong film Infernal Affairs) is a great-looking film, with some truly tense moments and its share of plot twists (even though some of them can be seen coming) - but it's no Casino. Yeah, I know it won Oscars, especially for Scorsese and as Best Picture, and that even Wahlberg was nominated (when DiCaprio should have been, as well). But somehow ... it just didn't do it for me. It's not a bad film - it doesn't suck - but it's also just not what I was expecting; not with this cast and director. **1/2 - Reel Mediocre-Reel Cool

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