The Departed (2006)

The Departed is a tense, darkly charged crime thriller about identity, loyalty and the unbearable strain of living a double life. Set in gritty South Boston, the film follows two men on opposite sides of the law: Billy Costigan (Leonardo DiCaprio), a young undercover cop who embeds himself in Frank Costello’s Irish mob, and Colin Sullivan (Matt Damon), Costello’s mole who has risen inside the Massachusetts State Police. As each man climbs deeper into the enemy’s world, a dangerous cat-and-mouse game unfolds — every conversation, gesture and secret could expose them. Watching The Departed, you’ll be pulled into relentless suspense and mounting paranoia: intimate character work and explosive confrontations alternate with sudden, brutal violence and dark humor. Powerful performances (including Jack Nicholson as Costello and strong supporting turns) and sharp, morally ambiguous storytelling keep the stakes personal and unpredictable. The film is immersive and unforgiving — tense, atmospheric, and often shocking — exploring how far people will go to survive when their identities and loyalties are split. Content note: the movie contains strong language, violence and mature themes.

Actors: Leonardo DiCaprio, Matt Damon, Jack Nicholson

Director: Martin Scorsese

Runtime: 151 min

Genres: Crime, Drama, Thriller

7.9 /10 85 /100 8.5 /10 8.3 /10