The Departed is a 2006 Oscar winning crime drama starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Matt Damon and Jack Nicholson in a high-octane cat-and-mouse thriller set in South Boston that follows as an undercover cop and a mole in the police as they attempt to identify each other, before they themselves are found out, while infiltrating an Irish gang in.
The film did an authentic job of portraying the city's internal racism and the raw tension of law enforcement. The plot twists were top-tier and the story was surprisingly easy to follow for such a complex premise. While it’s a remake of the Hong Kong film Infernal Affairs, Martin Scorsese made it entirely his own, diving deep into themes of identity confusion and the blurred lines between loyalty and betrayal. My only criticism is looking at it today, the cinematography and action sequences didn't hold up as well as I would have liked.
Leonardo DiCaprio gave a performance with incredible range, and his chemistry with Jack Nicholson was electric; even though Nicholson was essentially playing "The Joker”, it still worked for his role of Frank Costello. Mark Wahlberg’s performance felt a bit one-note as he’s largely the same in everything. I also found myself wishing for more character development for the people of color in the story.
In the end, this film perfectly captured the grit and moral ambiguity of the Boston Police Department and the Irish mob. I can definitely see why it is a fan favorite and why it swept the Oscars two decades ago.
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