FAQ for
The Departed (2006) More at IMDbPro »

The following FAQ entries may contain spoilers. Only the biggest ones (if any) will be covered with spoiler tags. Spoiler tags are used sparingly in order to make the page more readable.

For detailed information about the amounts and types of (a) sex and nudity, (b) violence and gore, (c) profanity, (d) alcohol, drugs, and smoking, and (e) frightening and intense scenes in this movie, consult the IMDb Parents Guide for this movie. The Parents Guide for The Departed can be found here.

No. The Departed is a remake of Mou gaan dou (English: Infernal Affairs), a 2002 Hong Kong movie written by Chinese screenwriters Felix Chong and co-director Alan Mak. Chong and Mak's screenplay was adapted for The Departed by American screenwriter William Monahan.

The Departed, and the character of Francis "Frank" Costello (Jack Nicholson), is loosely based on the story of Whitey Bulger, a Boston Southie considered by Law Enforcement to be one of the last Irish mobsters. Bulger often gave information to John Connolly, an FBI agent, on the Italian Mafia in Boston, in order to take over the city himself. Bulger spent his career as a psychotic killer and even ran guns for the IRA in the 1970s. Even after Bulger stopped passing on actual information to the FBI, Connolly still protected him from the Staties. Bulger is currently on the FBI's most wanted list and considered dangerous, even though he is in 70s.

There are two possibilities. One is Billy Costigan (Leonardo DiCaprio), due to his one night stand with Madolyn (Vera Farmiga). It is hinted that he is the father when he gives Madolyn the envelope. As he leaves, she tries to tell him something, but he tells her to think about it real hard and, if she still wants to tell him, she can do so in two weeks. Colin Sullivan (Matt Damon) is the second possibility when he tells him that he was going to be a father by showing him the sonogram of her child. This scene is shown after Madolyn and Colin contemplate moving to a new city for a "fresh start" (after Madolyn has slept with BIlly and presumably knows that she is pregnant.) There is a brief reference to Colin having problems with Madolyn regarding sex. She says, "It's actually quite common. Guys tend to make too much of a deal out of it." Also, when Madolyn listens to the incriminating tape sent by Billy for Colin that proves he was working for Costello, Madolyn tells Colin, "...and I thought I was the liar." Her comment may be a reference to her having told him that he was the father of the baby.

It looks like the cover to the September 1989 issue: Wolverine Vol. 1 Issue #11. "The Gehenna Stone Affair: Pt. 1 of 6" : Brother's Keeper. Writer: Peter David, Penciler: John Buscema. Covers here: http://www.mrlcomics.com/wolverine_vol1_cover_01to20.htm

When Delahunt (Mark Rolston) is dying, he mentions to Costigan that he gave the wrong address (314 Washington instead of 344), but Costigan showed up at the correct address anyway, but late. As he dies, he asks Costigan why he (Delahunt) didn't mention this to anyone. Later on a news report mentions Delahunt being an undercover cop, but Costello dismisses this as misinformation. So, is Delahunt an undercover cop or not?

The most likely distinguishing indicator is Delahunt's last words: "Tell me why I didn't tell nobody!" What could Costigan possibly "tell" that Delahunt would want to know "why" about? Certainly not that Costigan was a cop; even if Delahunt knew that Costigan was a cop, he wouldn't need to ask why Costigan didn't tell anybody; the reason for that would be obvious. The only secret that Delahunt could possibly be referring to, then, is Costigan's possible suspicion that Delahunt is a cop. We can piece together the scenario as follows:

Delahunt is a cop, deeper undercover than Costigan. Neither realizes that the other is a cop. Delahunt knows that Costello is getting suspicious about there being an internal cop, and when the call from Sullivan comes, decides that this is a great opportunity to frame Costigan by giving him the wrong address, which would make him not show up and therefore make the others suspicious by his absence. However, Costigan shows up anyway, and Delahunt realizes that if Costigan tells the others that the reason he's late is because Delahunt gave him the wrong address, then Delahunt's cover will be blown. But, strangely, Costigan didn't mention this to anybody (thereby protecting Delahunt), and Delahunt doesn't understand why. He asks Costigan with his dying breath why Costigan is protecting him, perhaps suspecting that Costigan is also a cop, but looking for affirmation.

There are two problems with this theory. The first problem is that Delahunt told Costigan the wrong address in earshot of the other gang members, so he was taking a big risk if he was giving the wrong address deliberately. The other problem is that the character from Infernal Affairs that Delahunt was based on appears in the sequels, and is not a cop. But both of those problems are more circumstantial, and no other theory seems to be able to explain Delahunt's last line.

On the other hand, you could interpret Delahunt's last words as being that of some kind of redemption. He did not tell anyone because he almost regretted the things he had done and what they stood for. His body language suggests as much. He didn't tell anyone because he had found out that Costigan was a cop, and that was his way of redemption.

Another possibility is that he accidentally gave the wrong address, and simply inferred from the fact that Costigan was already there that he must have been talking to Martin Sheen's character, and therefore must also be a cop. He would have (rightly) realised that saying that out loud in front of all the other bad guys would get Costigan killed.

This is not stated in the film. When Billy asks, Frank tells him that "Mr. French" (Ray Winstone) is an alias. In one scene, however, Frank calls Mr. French "Arnold" a few times, so it's possible that Arnold is Mr. French's first name.

When Colin says that he's a State Police Detective, the Realtor asks if he was married. Colin says no, at which point the Realtor says "Because this is kind of a large apartment". He was saying that because Colin wasn't married to a rich woman, he couldn't afford the apartment on a cop's salary. He may have also been suggesting that Colin was on the take (which ultimately he was) so he could afford the apartment. Or, when the Realtor mumbles that Colin "tends to have a houseguest" he may have been implying that Colin was engaged in a homosexual relationship with his cosigner. Naturally, Colin was offended by either insinuation and told the Realtor that he had a co-signer (presumably Costello).

Costello's opening narration - "Gimme Shelter" by The Rolling Stones.

Costigan and Sullivan go through the police academy - "Cops and Criminals" by Howard Shore featuring Marc Ribot (dobro) and Larry Saltzman (guitar).

Sullivan and Barrigan graduate from the academy - "Scotland The Brave" by the NYPD Emerald Society Pipes and Drums.

Main titles / Costigan in prison - "I'm Shipping Up To Boston" by Dropkick Murphys.

Costigan drives Sean to drug deals - "Thief's Theme" by Nas.

Costigan breaks glass over the head of the guy who made fun of his cranberry juice - "One Way Out" by The Allman Brothers Band.

Costigan beats up the Providence guys - "Nobody But Me" by The Human Beinz.

Madolyn dates Sullivan / Costigan gets his hand bandaged - "The Departed Tango" by Howard Shore featuring Marc Ribot (dobro) and Larry Saltzman (guitar).

Costigan meets Costello for the first time in the bar - "Let It Loose" by The Rolling Stones.

Costello and French talk about Costigan - "Sweet Dreams (Of You)" by Patsy Cline.

Providence corpses are found / Costigan meets Costello at his home - "Well Well Well" by John Lennon.

French collects debts / Costigan knocks out Jimmy Baggs' teeth - "Bang Bang" by Joe Cuba.

Costello messes with priests in restaurant / Fitzy gets busted - "Sail On, Sailor" by The Beach Boys.

Madolyn moves into Sullivan's apartment - "Gimme Shelter" by The Rolling Stones.

Costello goes to the opera - ""Chi mi frena (Sextet, Act 2)" (from opera "Lucia Di Lammermoor") by Daniela Lojarro, Gisella Pasino, Giuseppe Sabbatini, Michael Knapp, Michele Pertusi, Marco Chingari with the Berlin Radio Symphony Orchestra.

Costigan fills out the Citizens Trust info / Costigan and Madolyn have sex - "Comfortably Numb" by Roger Waters, Van Morrison, The Band.

Costigan kneecaps the bank robber - "Baby Blue" by Badfinger.

Costello confronts Costigan about possibly being the rat - "Sweet Dreams (Of You)" by Patsy Cline.

Costello covered in blood tells Billy to take the night off - "Tweedle Dee" by Lavern Baker.

Costello and crew drive on the highway / Costello tells Sullivan to take off the tail - "I'm Shipping Up To Boston" by Dropkick Murphys.

Rat on the balcony / End credits - "Sweet Dreams" by Roy Buchanan, "The Departed Tango" by Howard Shore featuring Marc Ribot (dobro) and Larry Saltzman (guitar).

In short: Sullivan shoots Frank, and Billy is shot by another one of Frank's moles in the department as well, other than Sullivan. Dignam (Mark Wahlberg) shoots Sullivan.

Not in short: Costigan is sent a series of tapes that Costello secretly recorded of Costello's conversations with Sullivan. Costigan gives one copy to Madolyn (his therapist/Sullivan's girlfriend) with instructions to open it if anything happens to him, and sends another to Sullivan. Sullivan goes to meet Costigan to try to pay him off and Costigan arrests Sullivan with plans to take him in. Costigan has called Brown (9link=nm0026364/]), his friend from the academy, to help him, and Brown allows him to take Sullivan down the elevator. When the elevator opens, Barrigan (James Badge Dale, Sullivan's friend from the Academy, shoots Costigan. When Brown gets down stairs and sees what's happened, Barrigan shoots him as well, and then reveals to Sullivan that he also worked for Costello ("Did you think you were the only one?"). Sullivan then shoots Barrigan. Sullivan tells the police that Barrigan was Costello's mole, and recommends Costigan to be honored by the department. When Sullivan returns to his apartment, he finds Dignam (who we assume has been given Costello's tapes by Madolyn) and Dignam kills him.

It's anyone's guess. There is plenty of suggestive evidence.... Sullivan has a "cosigner" and a "frequent houseguest" when he buys his apartment. We're allowed to assume the cosigner is Costello, but this is never confirmed or denied. Even the realtor assumes that Sullivan is gay. Sullivan and Madolyn have sexual issues - she tells him it's "quite common". Sullivan, throughout the movie, makes many homophobic comments. -Sullivan refuses to allow Madolyn to have any personal items in the main living area of the apartment, and takes her box of possessions into the bedroom to hide. And finally... When Sullivan walks to his apartment in the final scene, the neighbors are visibly disgusted with him. One woman pulls her dog away from him as he tries to greet the animal. Is this any way to treat someone who just became a hero? It's a reasonable conclusion that the neighbors knew about Sullivan and Dignam, and being upper crust elderly, didn't approve. Then, Sullivan opens his apartment door and seems unsurprised to see Dignam standing there. When he gets a look at what Dignam is wearing, however, he tries to explain...and is killed. He then drops his grocery bag, which contains: two croissants, two milks. Why two? Madolyn is gone.

It seems as if we're left to wonder whether this is a possible conclusion - it would stand to reason that if Dignam and Sullivan DID have a romantic relationship, once Dignam found out about Sullivan's duplicity, he would certainly kill him. The only other scene with Dignam and Sullivan that could disprove this theory is the scene at headquarters immediately after Queenan is killed. It is hard to tell whether there is an underlying relationship between the two men - it is not conclusive either way.

Frank was an FBI informant, he likely sold the computer chips to the Chinese, but wouldn't dare want them to be used against America, so he tipped the FBI where to apprehend them, therefore Frank keeps the money and the Chinese get arrested. Win-win for Frank.