Synopsis

In South Boston, an undercover state trooper infiltrates a powerful Irish-American crime syndicate while a criminal informant rises within the police department. As both sides search for the mole in their ranks, the two men struggle to protect their identities and expose one another. Their dangerous double lives create a tightening web of suspicion, betrayal, and violence.

Factoids & Trivia

• The film is a Hollywood remake of the 2002 Hong Kong crime thriller Infernal Affairs. William Monahan adapted the premise while relocating the story to Boston and giving it a distinctly Irish-American setting.

• The Frank Costello character and the criminal world surrounding him were influenced in part by real Boston organized-crime figures, especially Whitey Bulger and the Winter Hill Gang.

• Although the story is set in Boston, production used locations in both Massachusetts and New York. New York offered financial incentives and provided practical options for interiors and other scenes.

• The Departed was released in the United States on October 6, 2006. Made for an estimated $90 million, it earned roughly $291.5 million worldwide.

• At the 79th Academy Awards, the film won four Oscars: Best Picture, Best Director, Best Adapted Screenplay, and Best Film Editing. It was Martin Scorsese's first win for Best Director.

• The title does not appear on screen until nearly 20 minutes into the movie.

• The film's final shot, featuring a rat, became a frequent subject of discussion and parody because of its direct visual symbolism.