The Departed Analysis

Analysis: The meaning of The Departed is that the best way to go undercover is to be the exact opposite of who you really are, and that is why it is difficult to tell that Matt Damon’s character is actually gay.

Examples that support my The Departed analysis:

Damon’s character goes out of his way to hit on women in front of the other police

– He whistles at the woman in the hallway
– He gives looks to the woman at the police conference table
– He hits on the psychiatrist in the elevator and later dates her

References to Damon’s character’s homosexuality:

– The realtor suspects Damon’s character is gay (“So you tend to have a houseguest, that’s cool”)
– Alec Baldwin’s character mentions the possibility that Damon’s character is gay

Damon’s character dates the Psychiatrist in order to appear straight

– She works with cops in the same building, so the relationship will be very visible
– He has relationship “difficulties” (“It’s actually quite common”)
– He is very surprised to learn that he impregnated her (“Really? … Really?”), and he was not the real father

Envelopes as symbols for hiding secrets through the use of an outer shell

– The sonogram is in an envelope
– Leo’s character gives the psychiatrist a secret envelope
– Leo’s character mails an envelope of secrets to Damon’s character
– The Citizens envelope

References to homophobic slurs:

– Damon’s character uses homosexual slurs when referring to the firefighters
– Leo’s character refers to Damon’s character as a homosexual slur after Leo discovers Damon’s true identity, and this slur gains a strong response from Damon

References to the Catholic church

– Jack’s character’s girlfriend is actually in the choir
– As a child, Damon’s character is a choirboy, and Jack’s character is against this
– Jack’s character is against the church, and warns the priests about improprieties
– The title of the film, “The Departed,” referring to “the dearly departed”

Societies where being homosexual is not widely accepted

– The Catholic church
– Organized crime
– The police department
– Boston
– The United States (repeated flags throughout)