The Departed (2006) - Best Crime Thriller | Filmiway

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Why This Crime Thriller Hits Hard

An extraordinary exploration of crime, justice, and the darkness within humanity.

The Departed

2006•Martin Scorsese•120 min•R

The Experience

Billy Costigan (Leonardo DiCaprio) goes undercover in Irish mob boss Frank Costello's (Jack Nicholson) organization, while Costello plants his own mole, Colin Sullivan (Matt Damon), inside the Massachusetts State Police. As both rats hunt for each other, identities blur and paranoia escalates in Scorsese's remake of the Hong Kong thriller Infernal Affairs. This is a chess game where every move could be fatal and no one knows who to trust.

Cast & Crew

Director: Martin Scorsese

Starring: Leonardo DiCaprio, Matt Damon, Jack Nicholson

Production Details

Budget: $90 million

Box Office: $291.5 million

Age Rating:R
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CRIME INTENSITY SCORE

0
CRIME INTENSITY INDEX
8.5
IMDB RATING
CRIME COMPLEXITY LEVELHIGH

Accessible complexity with subtle mind-bending elements rewarding careful viewing.

Content Advisory

Contains: Mature Content

1:13:18 → 1:13:22
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Kissing
Mild
1:21:50 → 1:22:20
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KissingPassionate + Undressing
Mild
1:24:40 → 1:24:47
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Sexual gesture
Mild
Viewer Discretion Advised

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INTENSITY GRAPH

Narrative Analysis
Double Life(62%)
Rooftop Meeting(76%)
Identity Crisis(85%)
Elevator Massacre(92%)
Final Betrayal(94%)
Crime: 50%Crime: 50%Crime: 50%Crime: 50%Crime: 50%Crime: 50%Crime: 50%Crime: 50%Crime: 50%Crime: 50%Crime: 50%Crime: 50%Crime: 50%Crime: 50%Crime: 50%Crime: 50%Thriller: 35%Thriller: 35%Thriller: 35%Thriller: 35%Thriller: 35%Thriller: 35%Thriller: 35%Thriller: 35%Thriller: 35%Thriller: 35%Drama: 15%Drama: 15%Drama: 15%Drama: 15%

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CINEMATIC DNA

Genre Analysis
Crime
50%
Thriller
35%
Drama
15%

Genre DNA Distribution

  • Crime: 50%
  • Thriller: 35%
  • Drama: 15%

Movie Intensity Arc

  • Minute 28: Double Life (62/100 Intensity)
  • Minute 68: Rooftop Meeting (76/100 Intensity)
  • Minute 105: Identity Crisis (85/100 Intensity)
  • Minute 135: Elevator Massacre (92/100 Intensity)
  • Minute 148: Final Betrayal (94/100 Intensity)

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FAQ About The Departed

Common questions about The Departed and this gripping crime thriller.

Is The Departed based on a true story?

The Departed is a remake of the Hong Kong film 'Infernal Affairs' (2002), so it's fiction. However, the Boston setting and Whitey Bulger-inspired crime boss give it authentic flavor. The real Whitey Bulger was an FBI informant and mob boss simultaneously—living the double-life lie central to the film's themes.

Why does everyone die at the end of The Departed?

Scorsese's nihilistic ending emphasizes that in the world of lies, betrayal, and double identities the film depicts, no one survives clean. Colin (Matt Damon) thinks he's escaped consequences, but Mark Wahlberg's Dignam becomes an agent of final justice. The rat crawling across the balcony in the final shot symbolizes the pervasive corruption.

Did The Departed win Best Picture?

Yes, The Departed won four Academy Awards in 2007, including Best Picture and Best Director for Martin Scorsese—his first Oscar after five previous nominations. It was seen as the Academy finally honoring one of cinema's greatest living directors. The film also won Best Adapted Screenplay and Best Film Editing.

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Curated by Filmiway Editorial Team

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