21 Best Films Of The 21st Century By Genre

Martin Scorsese's 2006 classic is a deserving winner for the mantle of best crime film of the century to date. While the likes of No Country For Old Men and Collateral's more noir approach displayed real depth and the likes of Catch Me if you Can and Guy Ritchie's Snatch were great fun, The Departed gets the top prize here largely thanks to the work of its stellar cast.

Matt Damon and Leonardo DiCaprio are both superb as moles on opposite sides of the law, who both get their respective comeuppance when we least expect. Damon's Colin Sullivan is a suitably sleazy character who looks set to get away with his dirty deeds until a ripping execution scene in the final moments, while DiCaprio brings real depth and gravitas to a character who keeps getting up against the odds.

But it is Jack Nicholson's performance as mobster turned informer Frank who steals the show. Nicholson beautifully fuses his character's charisma with his truly abrasive and violent manner, playing everyone for fools for the majority of the movie.