The Departed (2006) Review: A Brilliant Thriller That Doesn't Survive Scrutiny

Tue, 26 May 2026 11:28:16 +0300

Here’s a piece of advice:

Don’t rewatch movies you absolutely loved.

Especially if it’s been ten years.

Especially if they left a huge impression on you the first time.

Some films belong to the person you were when you first saw them. Revisiting them years later can feel less like returning to an old friend and more like discovering that the magic was partly your own.

Unfortunately, that’s exactly what happened to me with The Departed.

Traffic (2000) Review: Drugs, Family, and a System That Never Changes

Wed, 20 May 2026 11:28:16 +0300

Steven Soderbergh’s Traffic, inspired by the 1989 British TV miniseries, takes a broad look at the drug trade by splitting its story into three mostly independent plotlines.

1. Javier Rodriguez — the honest cop in Mexico

This storyline focuses on corruption, the blurred line between cartels and government, and the impossible position of decent people trapped inside a broken system.

It also leans into a familiar contrast: corrupt Mexico versus heroic American law enforcement. The film even extends that contrast to attitudes toward addiction, presenting one side as believing drug users are beyond saving, while the other argues that addiction is something that should be treated rather than simply punished.

Crime on Movie & TV Reviews

The Departed (2006) Review: A Brilliant Thriller That Doesn't Survive Scrutiny

Traffic (2000) Review: Drugs, Family, and a System That Never Changes

1. Javier Rodriguez — the honest cop in Mexico