Film critic Stanley Kauffmann describes a major theme of The Departed as one of the oldest in drama – the concept of identity – and how it "affects one's actions, emotions, self-assurance and even dreams."
Filmski kritičar Stanley Kauffman opisuje glavnu temu Pokojnih kao jednu od najstarijih u drami - koncept identiteta - i kako on "utječe na radnje, osjećaje, samouvjerenost i čak snove jednog pojedinca."