Ray Winstone's "absolutely brilliant" crime drama with Matt Damon is streaming on the BBC

Ray Winstone's '80s-set crime drama The Departed is now available to stream for free in the UK. The movie follows an undercover cop and a mole for a criminal gang, who are forced to infiltrate each other's organisations.

Moulded by mob boss Frank Costello (Jack Nicholson), Colin Sullivan (Matt Damon) joins the Massachusetts State Police in order to feed information back to the gang. Meanwhile, police academy recruit Billy Costigan (Leonardo DiCaprio) is sent to prison to earn the trust of Costello and help bring down his enterprise.

After a failed mission sting operation, the police and the mob both realise they have been compromised and Billy and Colin are tasked with finding the opposing moles. Dark secrets and hidden alliances are brought to light as the pair try to survive in their respective roles.

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Directed by Martin Scorsese, The Departed was originally released in 2006 as a remake of 2002 Hong Kong movie Infernal Affairs. Now, the crime drama is available to stream on BBC iPlayer for the next 11 months.

The star-studded cast features DiCaprio, Damon and Nicholson in the leading roles, with Mark Wahlberg and Martin Sheen playing Sergeant Dignam and Captain Queenan, respectively.

The Gentlemen's Winstone also features alongside The Conjuring's Vera Farmiga, Alec Baldwin, Black-ish star Anthony Anderson and Kevin Corrigan.

The movie boasts an 8.5 rating on IMDb from 1.6 million user reviews, with one fan branding it "absolutely brilliant".

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"Martin Scorsese's The Departed is a brilliant tour de force that stands as one of the defining works of the crime thriller genre," wrote a second. "With its gripping narrative, nuanced character development, and a powerhouse cast, the film weaves a complex tale of loyalty, deception, and the moral ambiguity that lies at the heart of organized crime."

Another fan called it "intense, fast paced, gritty and violent", adding: "The action sequences are tremendous, and there's a subtle humour rubbing through it. Even if this film doesn't quite fit into your favourite genre bracket, I suggest you still watch, it's an incredible movie."

The Departed is streaming on BBC iPlayer.

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Divya is a freelance writer with experience in entertainment and lifestyle news. Described as a "telly addict" since childhood, Divya was able to translate her interests into a BJTC-accredited, Honours degree in Journalism and Media. After working in communications and marketing, Divya joined Digital Spy as a Freelance News Reporter. She has also written for various publications including Metro, Asian World News and TwitCelebGossip; as well as interviews, features and reviews on her own blog. Divya prides herself on her TV, film and showbiz knowledge, always offering (not so) fun facts to her long-suffering friends and family. From soaps to superheroes, Divya is the go-to person for tailored recommendations and up to date information.