User:MonkBirdDuke/The Departed

Differences Between The Departed and Infernal Affairs

 * A long conversation in the beginning of the movie is devoted to reviewing Costigan's family history. No such family history of crime is in the Tony Leung character; rather, he is chosen for his exception skills of observation and deduction.  Also, there is a scene with Dicaprio at his aging mother's bedside at her death and an ensuing confrontation with his uncle.  None of this took place in the original.


 * Mark Wahlberg character, Staff Sgt. Dignam, has no parallel in the original.


 * Morse code plays a large part in the original as a means of communication between the undercover police officer and his handler and was the reason why Tony Leung wore a cast on his arm.


 * The parallel of Jack Nicholson character, Frank Costello, is not nearly as insane and absurdly comical in the original. He is quick to anger, but not with the same feracity as in Jack Nicholson portrayal.  Now infamous scenes with an amputated hand and walking around with blood-stained clothing is not found in Infernal Affairs.


 * The character played by Vera Farmiga in The Departed is Costigan's psychiatrist as well as Suillivan's girlfriend. Whereas in the original, they are two seperate characters.


 * Costigan exhibits a dependency on prescription drugs. The Costigan character in the original does not have a drug problem.


 * In the original, the Sullivan character is not killed in the end, but rather goes on to live a normal life as a police detective.


 * The length of Costigan's time undercover in the Departed was less than two years, whereas in Infernal Affairs he was undercover for ten years.