We discuss 10 movies like The Departed you must watch. Add these well-recommended and highly-rated films to your watch list.
The Departed is the 2006 action-crime-drama film by Hollywood legend Martin Scorsese. The film has a star-studded cast, including Matt Damon, Leonardo DiCaprio, Jack Nicholson, Martin Sheen, and Vera Farmiga.
The story surrounds an undercover agent and a spy who are constantly trying to counter-attack each other in order to save themselves from being exposed in front of the authorities. They also both try to infiltrate an Irish gang.
The film is a remake of the 2002 Hong Kong film Infernal Affairs and is loosely based on the real-life Boston Winter Hill Gang.
The Departed is full of action and drama and has an incredible storyline, so if you enjoyed this film, here is a list of ten more we think you’ll enjoy.
10 Movies like The Departed
Infernal Affairs (2002)
The Departed is a remake of this Hong Kong film, so if you enjoyed it, it only makes sense to watch this next. The film follows Chan Wing Yan, a corrupt policeman who uses his colleagues as pawns for his own nefarious activities. Wong Chi-Shing, a tried member, becomes a mole in the police force and hunts Wing Yan with the intent to arrest him.
Goodfellas (1990)
If you’re a fan of Scorsese, who directed The Departed, then you must watch this biographical crime classic. In the mean streets of New York, young Henry Hill, with his two best friends, Jimmy and Tommy, climb the ranks from petty crimes to serious gangsters. This film is full of drama and compelling acting.
The Wolf of Wall Street (2013)
Personally, I think this film is DiCaprio’s best, so if you loved him in The Departed, then you’ll need to watch this crime-drama film based on the true story of stockbroker Jordan Belfort. His life is crazy and has to be seen to be believed.
Training Day (2001)
If you like crime-thriller films, then Training Day should be top of your list. The story follows a newly recruited police officer who spends his first day as a narcotics officer with a detective who is more than what he appears to be. Starring Denzel Washington and Ethan Hawke, both give excellent performances and will have you entertained from start to finish.
American Gangster (2007)
This crime-thriller is fictionally based on the criminal career of Frank Lucas, a gangster from La Grange, North Carolina, who smuggled heroin into the United States. We follow Lucas, who takes control of his boss Ellsworth Johnson’s business after he dies of a heart attack, which he then uses to set up a drug cartel.
Casino (1995)
Another Scorsese classic starring Robert DeNiro and Joe Pesci, the story follows Ace, a resourceful mafia associate, who is asked to run casinos in Las Vegas. While rising to power, he has altercations with his friends Nicky and Ginger, his love interest, which creates complications. Similar to The Departed, this film is filled with tension, drama, and captivating performances.
The Godfather (1972)
The Godfather is the best crime-drama film on the planet and a must-watch if you haven’t already. The head of a mafia family, Don Vito Corleone, decides to hand over his empire to his youngest son. This decision unintentionally puts his loved ones in danger.
Heat (1995)
Another film for gangster lovers, Heat, sees Detective Lieutenant Hanna try to catch a highly intelligent criminal who is trying to pull off one final robbery before retiring. Similar to The Departed, there is a classic cat-and-mouse chase filled with intensity and will keep you captivated.
Pulp Fiction (1994)
Adding a Tarantino classic as this action-crime thriller goes into a series of incidents intertwines the lives of two Los Angeles mobsters, a gangster’s wife, a boxer, and two small-time criminals. It’s extreme in its content and acting and a seriously brilliant watch.
The Irishman (2019)
Ending this list with one of Scorsese’s more recent works, The Irishman. It has a long runtime, but its storyline and acting are so effortless you wouldn’t think so. Set in the 1950s, truck driver Frank Sheeran gets involved with Russell Bufalino and his Pennsylvania crime family and begins to rise to the ranks as a top hitman. He then also goes to work for Jimmy Hoffa, in another organized crime.
Do you have any other recommendations for movies like The Departed? Let us know in the comments.
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