The Departed - The Highlight Reel - A look back at Martin Scorsese's Oscar winning Hit

🎞️ The Highlight Reel

The Departed

"Scorsese having some fun. A superior, amazing ride."

RELEASED:
Oct 6, 2006

RT SCORE:
91% Fresh

WHERE TO WATCH:
Netflix / Max / Apple TV

Official Synopsis

An undercover cop and a mole in the police attempt to identify each other while infiltrating an Irish gang in South Boston.

Cast & Crew

Director: Martin Scorsese

Billy Costigan: Leonardo DiCaprio

Colin Sullivan: Matt Damon

Frank Costello: Jack Nicholson

Dignam: Mark Wahlberg

Captain Ellerby: Alec Baldwin

Fun Facts

• Jack Nicholson refused to wear a Boston Red Sox hat, opting for his own New York Yankees hat instead.
• This was the film that finally won Martin Scorsese his first Oscar for Best Director.
• Mark Wahlberg based his aggressive performance as Dignam on the real-life police officers who had arrested him in his youth.

2026 Retrospective

Nearly two decades later, the truth remains: Martin Scorsese is at his best when dealing with crime dramas. The Departed stands as a refreshing return to his gangster film sensibility, but it is also Scorsese having pure, stylistic fun. In the years following, Scorsese would move away from the genre with Shutter Island, Hugo, The Wolf of Wall Street, and Silence, before eventually returning to his roots with the somber and heartbreaking The Irishman, a film that perhaps intentionally put the era of "tough guy" crime dramas to bed.

While The Departed is a faithful interpretation of the exceptional Infernal Affairs, the cast in retrospect is arguably one of the greatest ever assembled. A menacing Jack Nicholson, a showy but quietly suffering Matt Damon, and a tortured Leonardo DiCaprio all turn in iconic performances. However, it’s the supporting cast that truly steals the film like bandits; Mark Wahlberg and Alec Baldwin deliver career-best work, while a psychopathic Ray Winstone and a charming but tough Vera Farmiga help make this a "can't-miss" masterpiece of the genre.

When considering the legacy of the film, it is perhaps ironically fitting that Scorsese finally won his Academy Awards for this project after missing out so many times following Goodfellas, Casino, and Gangs of New York. The irony is twofold: he finally achieved the Academy's greatest recognition by using source material from the very Asian crime stories that were originally inspired by his own work, and he did it by setting the film in Boston,the rival city to his beloved New York home.

Director & Star Recommendations

Goodfellas (Scorsese) • Infernal Affairs (Original) • Shutter Island (DiCaprio) • The Fighter (Wahlberg)

Original Review: Oct 27, 2006

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Not much more can be said about how great this movie is. Which is why I held off on writing my review. Honestly, what's left to be said?

Besides that, the truth is in my heart, I believe Mr. Scorsese is not capable of making a bad movie. Even if he tried. Seriously.

Even his stuff that people considered uneven.....I think is pretty freakin' brilliant. I thought Gangs of New York and The Aviator were epic. I liked Age of Innocence, Kundun, Color of Money....even Bringing out the Dead. Well...... maybe not Bringing out the Dead. But I recognize that movie is still better than 95% of the stuff that is out there today.

So, as one can see, in my eyes the guy can do no wrong. I guess I'm not in the minority in my beliefs. Any person off the street will admit that the guy is a genius.

I think if there's any complaints about his most recent work, it's that they all seemed like they were geared toward trying to win him the Oscar. Which of course isn't true. But the way his films were marketed definitely made it seem that way. So it's refreshing that The Departed at least looks like something more closer to his indie sensibility.

It feels like a movie with no obvious award season ambition. It feels like Scorsese..... having some fun. Like he did in Goodfellas, and Casino.

Indeed, the story is not even an original idea. It's based on a rather exceptional chinese film called Infernal Affairs. The Departed is a superior film....but in all honestly not by much. Andy Lau and Tony Leung's performances are pretty amazing. Stunning work really.

This time around I felt the stand out performances in the film were by the supporting actors. In particular Alec Baldwin and Mark Wahlberg... the truth is that they steal this film from Leo and Damon. Like bandits. Mark Wahlberg in particular has never been better.

Also getting notable attention is Vera Farmiga... it's a nice tweak in the story, and gives the movie even more depth and heart. Let's not forget Jack... who's great in his role. It's a wild, almost out of control performance but it's entertaining and pretty damn great.

Perhaps turning in the most intimidating performance of them all is Ray Winstone's Mr. French. It's fantastic, understated work that hopefully won't be forgotten come awards season.

So basically it's a great film.... good source material, great adaptation, good performances, great direction, it's a can't miss.....maybe it's the best movie of the year. What more needs to be said?