Forget 'The Odyssey,' Matt Damon's 10/10 Crime Thriller Is Perfect From Start to Finish

Published Oct 14, 2026, 12:04 AM EDT

One of the biggest worldwide hits of the year was The Odyssey, starring Matt Damon as Odysseus, a hero on his long voyage back from war in Christopher Nolan’s epic adaptation. For many movie fans, it has re-opened the conversation around the star’s career, which is far more varied than one might expect. Those looking for the best of the actor’s work, however, should look no further than 2006’s The Departed. Directed by Martin Scorsese and co-starring Leonardo DiCaprio, it’s a labyrinthine American tragedy that contains many jaw-dropping moments, as well as a different side to the actor we all think we know.

‘The Departed’ is a Gripping Tale of Double-Crossing

Scorsese departs his home turf of New York and heads to Boston in this remake of the Hong Kong classic Infernal Affairs. DiCaprio plays Billy Costigan, a young working-class cop who is sent undercover to infiltrate the world of mobster Frank Costello (Jack Nicholson), becoming close to the criminal in order to take him down. At the same time, one of Costello’s protégés, Colin Sullivan (Damon), works in the other direction, becoming a rising star in the Massachusetts State Police Department in order to feed information back to his boss. Their lives are put at risk when both sides learn of moles in their ranks, leading to a bitter and bloody hunt for the truth.

The film finds Scorsese in his element, decades into his storied career. Classic sequences like Costello’s introduction, with Nicholson walking in silhouette to The Rolling Stones’ “Gimme Shelter”, and DiCaprio’s prison montage to Dropkick Murphys’ “I'm Shipping Up To Boston,” showcase the filmmaker’s ability to tell a story without saying a word. This is combined with an all-star cast that includes Alec Baldwin, Mark Wahlberg, and Vera Farmiga in supporting roles. However, one performance stood out among the rest.

Matt Damon Gives a Career-Best Performance

Image via Warner Bros.

While he had played villainous roles prior to The Departed, in films like The Talented Mr Ripley, Matt Damon was best known to the public as a hero. He was the troubled genius in Good Will Hunting, the relentless one-man army in the Jason Bourne films, and the titular soldier in Saving Private Ryan. In Sergeant Colin Sullivan, however, he embraced the moral ambiguity of Scorsese’s story and became something quite different.

Damon's performance doesn’t fit the mold of a typical police mole – he’s articulate, charming, and intelligent on the outside. However, beneath the surface, he’s a coward and a liar. Rather than being an archetypal villain, there’s an anxiousness to his performance that amplifies the moral complexity of the story. He’s asking those around him, and the audience, to feel sorry for him, but he is perhaps the least sympathetic character in the movie. His insecure outbursts and interior panic make it a much smaller performance compared to the grandstanding of his co-stars. However, that allowed him to stand out in an ensemble of generational talent. While he has made exceptional films in the years since, The Departed is different because of how it requires Damon to be something unexpected.

‘The Departed’ Finally Acknowledged Martin Scorsese as One of the Greats

It was always one of the great injustices of Oscar history that Scorsese had never won a Best Director Oscar. Prior to The Departed, he had been nominated five times for classics such as Goodfellas, Raging Bull, and The Last Temptation of Christ. However, he had lost out every single time, before the 2006 movie finally gave him his moment. Fittingly, he was presented with the statue by three of his contemporaries – Steven Spielberg, Francis Ford Coppola, and George Lucas. When receiving the award, he joked: “Could you double-check the envelope?”

There was no mistake, however, because The Departed proved sixth time lucky, and cemented him as one of the legends of the craft. Whether or not you hold up the movie as his best work is a matter of opinion, but it proved the moment that let him take Hollywood’s ultimate accolade, and join the ranks of the legends that called his name. While many people believe he should have won more awards, the man himself is more philosophical. “Over the years, I learned that my films weren’t going to be getting Oscars,” he said during a red carpet interview, “but at least I got to make them.”

So, if The Odyssey has got you in the mood for more Matt Damon, The Departed is a great place to start. As well as being one of his best performances, this dark tale of betrayal is a cinematic symphony, where everybody involved brings their best to make a movie that will engrave itself into your mind for years to come.