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The Departed is a 2006 American crime drama film remake of the 2002 Hong Kong film Infernal Affairs. The film was directed by Martin Scorsese, written by William Monahan and stars Leonardo DiCaprio, Matt Damon, Jack Nicholson, Martin Sheen, Alec Baldwin, Ray Winstone, Vera Farmiga and Mark Wahlberg. The film won four Academy Awards at the 79th Academy Awards, including Best Picture, and a Best Director win for Scorsese.

This film takes place in Boston, Massachusetts, where notorious Irish Mob boss Francis "Frank" Costello (Nicholson) plants Colin Sullivan (Damon) as an informant within the Massachusetts State Police. Simultaneously, the police assign undercover cop Billy Costigan, Jr. (DiCaprio) to infiltrate Costello's crew. When both sides of the law realize the situation, each man attempts to discover the other's true identity before being found out.

At a young age, Colin Sullivan (Damon) is introduced to organized crime through Irish mobster Frank Costello (Nicholson) who grooms him along with other youths in the Irish neighborhood of Southie (South Boston). Turning into a father figure to Sullivan, Costello trains him to become his mole inside the Massachusetts State Police. Performing exceptionally while helping Costello remove his underworld enemies, Sullivan is accepted into the Special Investigation Unit (SIU), which focuses on organized crime. Before he graduates from the Police Academy, William Costigan, Jr. (DiCaprio) is asked by Captain Queenan (Sheen) and Staff Sergeant Dignam (Wahlberg) to become an undercover agent, as his childhood spent wandering between two Boston neigborhoods and his family ties to organized crime make him a perfect infiltrator. He agrees to drop out of the academy and does time in prison on a phony assault charge to up his credibility as a criminal.

As both men infiltrate their respective organizations, Sullivan begins a romance with psychiatrist Madolyn Madden (Farmiga), whose profession he ridicules. Costigan sees Madolyn as part of his probation, developing a more respectful relationship with her. After Costello barely escapes a sting operation, both moles become aware of the other's existence. Sullivan is assigned to find the "rat" in SIU and asks Costello for his crew's personal information to allow him to determine who is the informer within Costello's crew. Costigan follows Costello into a movie theater where Costello gives Sullivan an envelope with the details of his crew. Costigan then chases Sullivan through Boston's Chinatown, during which Sullivan stabs an innocent bystander. When it is all over, both men still do not know each other's true identity. Sullivan then has Queenan tailed as he meets Costigan in an abandoned building. Costello sends his men in and Queenan distracts them to let Costigan escape. For this he pays with his life as he is thrown from the roof and dies at the feet of Costigan. When the mobsters escape, Costigan pretends he has come to rejoin them. The trailing state troopers open fire on Costello's crew, which causes casualties on both sides. Later, at one of Costello's safe houses, Delahunt (one of Costello's enforcers) reveals to Costigan that he is aware of his true identity just before he dies from his gunshot wounds.



His actions now under scrutiny, Sullivan is attacked by a suspicious Dignam, who is subsequently placed on administrative leave. Using Queenan's bloodstained phone, Sullivan reaches Costigan, who refuses to abort his mission. Sullivan learns of Costello's role as an informant for the FBI from Queenan's diary, causing him to worry about his double identity being revealed. With Costigan's help, Costello is tracked to a cocaine drop-off, where he and his crew become trapped in a gunfight with police, resulting in most of the mobsters being killed. As the wounded Costello attempts an escape he is confronted by Sullivan. Costello admits he is an occasional FBI mole and tries to shoot Sullivan. Sullivan fires first, killing Costello. With Costello dead, Sullivan is applauded for his actions. In good faith, Costigan comes to him for restoration of his true identity but notices the envelope containing the details of Costello's men on Sullivan's desk and flees from the building. Knowing he has been found out, Sullivan erases all records of Costigan as a trooper from the police agency's computer system.

Costigan leaves an envelope in the care of Madolyn, with whom he has had a love affair but who now lives with Sullivan. Some time later, Costigan sends Sullivan an audio CD with a note requesting him to contact Costigan. However, Madolyn listens to the CD first and hears Sullivan and Costello's taped conversations. Sullivan walks in on her and tries to assuage her suspicions. He contacts Costigan, who reveals that he is in possession of recordings by Costello that would implicate Sullivan as a rat in the police department. They agree to meet at the empty building where Queenan died. Costigan surprises Sullivan, holding him at gunpoint, intent on arresting him. Officer Brown, who is both Sullivan's colleague and an academy friend of Costigan, appears and draws his gun on Costigan. Using Sullivan as a shield, Costigan gets into the elevator. As it reaches the ground floor, Costigan is shot by Sullivan's other colleague Barrigan and dies. Brown appears on the scene but is shot and killed by Barrigan, who reveals himself as Costello's second mole. Not wanting any loose ends, Sullivan shoots and kills Barrigan. Back at police headquarters, Sullivan blames all mole activity on Barrigan and has Costigan posthumously rewarded with the Medal of Merit.

At Costigan's funeral, a pregnant Madolyn is seen crying. She breaks up with Sullivan and recieves a package from the now dead Costigan. Some time later, in the final scene, Sullivan comes home with a bag of groceries. Instead of Madolyn, Dignam is waiting for him. Dignam kills Sullivan with a bullet to the head and then calmly exits the apartment presumably leaving behind no incriminating evidence.