“The Departed”

Movie Review

Martin Scorsese and William Monahan collaborated on the epic crime thriller The Departed, which was released in 2006 in the United States. It is a remake of the 2002 Hong Kong film Infernal Affairs. The corrupt FBI agent John Connolly who plays Colin Sullivan is modeled after in the movie, and Irish-American gangster Whitey Bulger who plays Frank Costello is modeled after in the real-life Boston Winter Hill Gang. In addition to Martin Sheen, Ray Winstone, Vera Farmiga, Alec Baldwin, and James Badge Dale playing supporting roles, the movie stars Leonardo DiCaprio, Matt Damon, Jack Nicholson, and Mark Wahlberg.

The movie is set in Boston. The Massachusetts State Police hires Matt Damon's character Colin Sullivan as a spy, and at the same time, the law commissions Leonardo DiCaprio's undercover state trooper Billy Costigan to infiltrate Irish mob lord Frank Costello's gang. Sullivan and Costigan each make an effort to identify the other before being revealed after they become aware of the situation.

In South Boston, Colin Sullivan is introduced to Frank Costello, the leader of the Irish mob. Twenty years later, after receiving spy training from the Massachusetts State Police, Sullivan joins the Special Investigations Unit under Captain Ellerby's supervision. Captain Queenan and Staff Sergeant Dignam enlist Trooper Billy Costigan Jr., another rookie officer, to go undercover and infiltrate Costello's crew. Only Queenan and Dignam will be aware of the identities of their undercovers, Ellerby informs Special Investigations. As Costigan's emotions deteriorate, Queenan and Dignam beg him to maintain his cover.

The MSP is informed by Costigan that Costello's gang is dealing in the sale of stolen computer microprocessors to the Hong Kong Triad. The MSP sets up a trap, but Sullivan warns Costello, which lets everyone get away. A spy is among Costello's crew, so he assigns Sullivan the responsibility of finding him. To cross-reference his team with the MSP database, Sullivan asks Costello for information on his team. While this is going on, Costigan discovers that Costello is a protected FBI informant. Costigan then accuses Costello of being a spy, which he refutes. Queenan is informed of Costigan's discovery and given a warning that Costello is aware of a spy operating within his ranks. Dignam informs him that he thinks Costello has a spy of his own working for him in the MSP. The only person Costigan interacts with in the MSP besides Queenan and Dignam is Madolyn Madden, his police-appointed psychiatrist and Sullivan's girlfriend. Later, Madolyn and Costigan start dating.

Costigan observes Costello handing Sullivan an envelope after following him into a theater. Costigan is given the task by Queenan to identify Sullivan visually, but he is unable to get a clear view of the man's face. Sullivan accidentally stabs a restaurant employee as he runs after realizing he is being pursued. Sullivan tries to match Costigan's image from neighboring surveillance footage with police officer databases but is unsuccessful. In order to discover the MSP mole, Queenan tells Sullivan to follow Costello. Queenan receives a call from Costigan setting up a meeting, but Sullivan sends her along while telling the other cops that she might be the spy. Costello's crew is also invited by Sullivan to the meeting place.

Queenan assists Costigan in escaping when Costello's men arrive before being hurled off the building's roof and killed. Dignam is suspended by Ellerby after blaming and attacking Sullivan for Queenan's murder. Timothy Delahunt, one of Costello's injured goons, tells Costigan that he is aware that Costigan is the rat, but he passes away before he can warn the others. Newspapers claim that Delahunt worked for the Boston Police as an undercover officer, but Costello thinks the police department made up the story to get him to stop looking for the mole. Sullivan chooses to flip on Costello after finding out that he is an FBI informant. The MSP follows Costello to a cocaine drop-off where a gunfire breaks out, killing the majority of Costello's gang. When Costello is confronted, he confesses to being an FBI informant, and Sullivan shoots him dead.

After completing his task, Costigan informs Sullivan of his covert position. He runs away after spotting Costello's envelope containing gang member information on Sullivan's desk. Sullivan deletes Costigan's documents from police computers after realizing that Costigan is aware of them. If something happens to him, Costigan gives Madolyn an envelope and tells her to open it. Later, she unintentionally listens to tapes that Costello made of himself with Sullivan after opening a package Costigan delivered to Sullivan and decides to leave Sullivan. Sullivan is taken into custody after Costigan meets him on the rooftop where Queenan was killed. To verify his identity, Costigan calls Trooper Brown, a friend from the police academy. When Brown arrives, however, he pulls a gun on Costigan because he isn't sure who is telling the truth.

Brown grants Costigan's request to use the elevator after he claims to have proof linking Sullivan to Costello. When they get to the lobby, Trooper Barrigan, a buddy of Sullivan's who later shows himself to be another Costello-affiliated spy, kills Costigan and Brown. By killing Barrigan with a gun, Sullivan can expose Barrigan as the mole and clear his own name. Dignam is there to greet Sullivan when he gets home from attending Costigan's funeral. Dignam shoots Sullivan after he accepts his fate.

At the 79th Academy Awards, The Departed took home four Oscars for Best Picture, Best Director, Best Adapted Screenplay, and Best Film Editing. It was a critical and financial triumph. Wahlberg was nominated for Best Supporting Actor, and Scorsese won his first and only Oscar to date. Six nominations each at the 60th British Academy Film Awards, the 64th Golden Globe Awards, and the 13th Screen Actors Guild Awards were also given to the movie. For his performance, DiCaprio received nominations for three awards: the Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting Role, the BAFTA Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role, and the Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Motion Picture Drama.

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