THE DEPARTED

Genre: CRIME / ACTION / THRILLER / DRAMA

Release Dates: October 6, 2006

Trailers:

Quicktime Trailer

Trailer on Yahoo

Official Websites:

thedeparted.warnerbros.com

warnerbrothers.com

Taglines:

Cops or Criminals, when you’re facing a loaded gun what’s the difference?

Lies. Betrayal. Sacrifice. How far will you take it?

Production Company: Vertigo / Plan B / Initial Entertainment / Media Asia Films

Synopsis:
The remake of the 2002 Hong Kong hit Infernal Affairs is this time set in Boston. The Departed centers on a rivalry between the Boston police force and an Irish-American gang, led by Jack Nicholson. A gangster (Damon) is chosen to infiltrate the police force and while a young police cadet (played by Leonardo DiCaprio) is chosen to infiltrate the Irish gang. The two find out that a mole is in each organization and race to find each other’s identity. When their paths cross, sparks (and bullets) will fly.

Synopsis 2
The Departed is set in South Boston, where the state police force is waging war on organized crime. Young undercover cop Billy Costigan (Leonardo DiCaprio) is assigned to infiltrate the mob syndicate run by gangland chief Costello (Jack Nicholson). While Billy is quickly gaining Costello’s confidence, Colin Sullivan (Matt Damon), a hardened young criminal who has infiltrated the police department as an informer for the syndicate, is rising to a position of power in the Special Investigation Unit. Each man becomes deeply consumed by his double life, gathering information about the plans and counter-plans of the operations he has penetrated. But when it becomes clear to both the gangsters and the police that there’s a mole in their midst, Billy and Colin are suddenly in danger of being caught and exposed to the enemy – and each must race to uncover the identity of the other man in time to save himself.

Synopsis 3
Leonardo DiCaprio, Matt Damon, Jack Nicholson and Mark Wahlberg star in Martin Scorsese’s new crime drama The Departed. The Departed is set in South Boston where the state police is waging war on organized crime. Young undercover cop Billy Costigan (DiCaprio) is assigned to infiltrate the mob run by gangland chief Costello (Nicholson). While Billy is quickly gaining Costello’s confidence, Colin Sullivan (Damon), a hardened young criminal who has infiltrated the police department as an informer for Costello, is rising to a position of power in the Special Investigation Unit.

Each man becomes deeply consumed by his double life, gathering information about the plans and counter-plans of the operations he has penetrated. But when it becomes clear to both the gangsters and the police that there’s a mole in their midst, Billy and Colin are suddenly in danger of being caught and exposed to the enemy – and each must race to uncover the identity of the other man in time to save himself.

Crew: Martin Scorsese (director); William Monahan (screenplay); Jennifer Aniston and Brad Pitt (producers); Doug Davison and Roy Lee (executive producers)

Cast: Anthony Anderson, Matt Damon, Leonardo DiCaprio, Vera Farmiga, Jack Nicholson, Nellie Sciutto, Mark Wahlberg and Ray Winstone

Studio: Warner Brothers

Other Info

NEWS
4/6/2005 – To start with, Brad Pitt and Jennifer Aniston’s Plan B Entertainment is producing the crime thriller, despite their sudden break up a few months ago. That’s great, because it keeps the project on track and not languishing in development hell. To that end, pre- production is underway on the movie.

Jack Nicholson is joining the cast, which currently includes Matt Damon and Leonardo DiCaprio – as an Irish gang boss. Nicholson has met with longtime pals DiCaprio and director Martin Scorsese about the Departed. Nicholson was quoted as saying, “(I’ve been) looking for a bad guy – I just did three comedies. (DiCaprio, Scorsese and I) had been looking for something to do together.” Of his Boston Irishman role, he jokingly added, “I won’t have to act much.” Mark Wahlberg is also scheduled to appear in the film.

Matt Damon, who is co-starring in The Departed, and is one of the biggest stars to come out of Massachusetts’, recently criticized state lawmakers for refusing to match certain tax incentives that other states have offered the film industry. In a phone interview with the Boston Globe, Damon said, “Entertainment-wise, we’re like Third World on the state level. We just don’t get it.” Damon was referring to the production location of the film, which, although set in Boston, is being filmed mostly in New York in order to take advantage of that state’s 15 percent tax credit.

Film Fetish trivia:
The Departed is a remake of the Hong Kong hit Wu jian dao (Infernal Affairs), starring Andy Lau, who was originally a famous pop music star in Asia.