TEHRAN- “The Departed”, a 2006 movie by prominent American filmmaker Martin Scorsese, will be reviewed at the Arasbaran Cultural Center in Tehran on Wednesday. 

Film critic Kourosh Jahed is set to attend a screening of the film followed by a review session.

“The Departed” follows two young men on opposite sides of the law whose lives become fatally intertwined through a web of infiltration and betrayal.

As a boy in South Boston, Colin Sullivan is taken under the wing of Irish mob boss Frank Costello, who grooms him to infiltrate law enforcement. Years later, Sullivan rises through the ranks of the Massachusetts State Police (MSP), eventually joining the Special Investigation Unit. To his colleagues, he is a promising and intelligent officer. In reality, he is Costello’s mole, feeding the crime boss confidential information and protecting the syndicate from within.

At the same time, another recruit, Billy Costigan, is selected for a very different assignment. Coming from a family with criminal ties, Costigan is approached by Captain Oliver Queenan and Sergeant Sean Dignam, who see in him the perfect candidate to infiltrate Costello’s organization. To establish his cover, Costigan serves time in prison and commits minor crimes to gain credibility. His efforts succeed, and he is soon accepted into Costello’s inner circle.

As Costigan becomes deeply embedded in the mob, the psychological strain intensifies. He witnesses brutal violence and participates in dangerous operations, constantly fearing exposure. His only lifelines are Queenan and Dignam, who urge him to stay the course. Meanwhile, Sullivan begins a relationship with police psychiatrist Madolyn Madden, who unknowingly also serves as Costigan’s court-appointed therapist. Both men confide in her, though neither knows the full truth about the other.

Tensions escalate when Costigan tips off the MSP about a major microprocessor deal between Costello and Chinese buyers. However, Sullivan sabotages the sting operation, alerting Costello in time to avoid arrest. Both the police and the mob realize they have been compromised by a mole. Each side launches an internal hunt: Costello demands his crew identify the informant within, while the MSP searches for the leak in their own ranks.

As suspicion mounts, Costigan secretly observes Costello meeting Sullivan, though he cannot confirm his identity. Sullivan, sensing danger, manipulates events to protect himself. In a devastating turn, Queenan is thrown to his death by Costello’s men after Sullivan tips off the gang to a meeting between Queenan and his undercover operative. The loss of Queenan leaves Costigan isolated and increasingly unstable.

The situation spirals further when it is revealed that Costello has been an FBI informant, playing multiple sides. During a climactic confrontation, Sullivan shoots and kills Costello after learning of his duplicity. Believing his mission complete, Sullivan attempts to secure his position within the police force.

However, Costigan uncovers evidence linking Sullivan to Costello and confronts him. Realizing he has been exposed, Sullivan deletes Costigan’s records to erase proof of his undercover status. Costigan leaves incriminating recordings with Madolyn before arranging to arrest Sullivan on the rooftop where Queenan died.

In a shocking finale, Costigan is killed by another corrupt officer, Trooper Barrigan, who reveals himself as yet another mole working for Costello. Sullivan kills Barrigan to eliminate loose ends and frames him as the sole traitor. Though Sullivan appears to escape suspicion and even recommends Costigan for posthumous honors, his victory is hollow.

The film ends with Sergeant Dignam confronting Sullivan in his apartment and executing him, delivering a final act of justice. The Departed closes as a tragic meditation on identity and morality, exposing the corrosive cost of duplicity in a world where no one can be trusted.

SAB/