Where Was The Departed Filmed?

Deepra Sarkar of Where Was The Departed Filmed? Deepra Sarkar
December 30, 2020

The crime thriller ‘The Departed’ is a remake of the Hong Kong original ‘Infernal Affairs.’ Directed by the renowned Martin Scorsese, the film sees a star-studded cast led by Leonardo DiCaprio, Matt Damon, and Jack Nicholson. ‘The Departed’ is dotted with numerous twists and turns with a central plot driven by the exhilarating characters that bring the story to life on the silver screen.

The Scorsese feature derives inspiration for two of its main characters from the infamous Irish American mafia boss, Whitey Bulger, and his accomplice in the FBI, the rogue agent John Connolly. The film follows Colin Sullivan (Damon) and Billy Costigan (DiCaprio) as they try to play the roles of moles in the Massachusetts State Police and an Irish Mob boss Francis “Frank” Costello’s (Nicholson) crew, respectively. After watching the various action scenes portrayed in the film, you might be wondering where they were shot. We have compiled all the locations that the audience can see in the film.

The Departed Filming Locations

Although primarily based in Boston, certain scenes had to be shot in New York City for budgetary and logistical reasons. Moreover, the New York City locations provided tax incentives for filmmakers that Boston did not offer at that time. The filming began on April 21, 2005, and ended on August 27, 2005. Let us take you through the various locations seen in this movie across Boston and New York.

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Brooklyn, New York City

The grocery store where young Sullivan meets his future mentor, Costello, and Costigan later beats up goons from the Providence was located in Brooklyn, at 334 Driggs Avenue. The store was transformed into a restaurant named Bernie’s which is temporarily closed presently. All the funeral scenes in the film, including Costigan’s mother’s and also the fallen police officials’, were shot at the Greenwood Cemetery, located at 500 25th Street in Brooklyn.

Another notable location is the bar where Costigan meets up with Costello’s gang member, Mr. French. Costigan orders cranberry juice, and a subsequent scene, where he breaks a glass on a man’s head, marks the beginning of his undercover macho identity. The bar, Irish Haven, is still located in Brooklyn today.

When the MSP is made aware that there is a mole amidst their troops, Sullivan is assigned to find the mole by Captain Ellerby. The scene takes place at a golf course for which the Brooklyn Driving Range at 3200 Flatbush Avenue was used. The next scene shows Sullivan meeting Costello in a pornography cinema hall to tell him that the police know about the mole. Costigan also follows Costello to this theatre.

The theatre that was used for this scene is Cinema Village, located on 22 East 12th Street in Manhattan. The scenes depicting the police academy where both Sullivan and Costigan receive their certification were shot in SUNY Maritime College in the Bronx. The college, which boasts of a 55 acres campus, is mostly known for its curriculum in the public service and armed forces sectors.

An interesting location is a bar that acts as Costello’s headquarters, which is a mash-up of two locations in New York and Boston. While the exterior of the bar was shot at a Boston dry cleaning store, the interior scenes were taken in the revered French restaurant, Raoul’s, on 180 Prince Street in SoHo. The restaurant can also be seen in the film ‘Sex and the City.’ Other Brooklyn locations include Brooklyn Heights, Gerritsen Beach, and Sunset Park.

Boston, Massachusetts

The scenes revolving around the Special Investigations Unit, including Costigan’s recruitment as the mole, were shot in the Erich Lindemann Mental Health Center, on 25 Staniford Street. Owing to his connections in the mafia, Sullivan is put up in a cozy penthouse, which was actually the Suffolk University Law School Library, located on Tremont Street in Boston.

Sullivan’s apartment presents an aesthetically pleasing view of the Massachusetts State House, which is a gentle reminder for the audience that the events are occurring in Boston. Costello’s luxurious apartment is also located in the city, for which the prestigious Flagship Wharf, 197 8th Street in Charlestown, was utilized. Costigan has a secret meeting with his police handlers where he is informed about Costello’s mole within the police department.

The location picked for this scene was the Neponset Trail. Furthermore, Costigan confirms the suspicions about Costello’s mole in the MSP from the Logan International Airport. The scene involving the car argument was filmed in Dorchester, whereas the shoot-out sequence at the warehouse was filmed at Fore River Ship Yard in Quincy. Lynn also makes an appearance on the list of filming venues.

After Costigan follows Costello into the porn cinema, he sees Costello’s mole meet up with him. Costigan is ordered to obtain a photo identity of the mole. Costigan follows the mole, which is Costello, till it turns into a chase. This scene was shot in Chinatown, which also appears in the film ‘9-Man’. The rooftop scene where Queenan meets his death and the eventual confrontation between Sullivan and Costigan takes place was shot on 12 Farnsworth Street.

Read More: The Departed, Explained

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