What's the Difference?

Rating: 9/10 (6 October 2006)

Greetings again from the darkness. I will admit it upfront. It is very rare that I don't enjoy/appreciate/respect Martin Scorcese films. What I will say to his detractors is this is his best work since "Goodfellas". Yes it is based on the 2002 Hong Kong film entitled "Infernal Affairs", and Scorcese is so respectful that he actually notes this in the closing credits.
Prepare for a a no-holds-barred all out blazing explosion of film making! And so much fun to watch. If the "f" word bothers you, stay home. It may rival any Tarantino flick for harsh, but real in-this-world language. If violence bothers you, stay home. There are some moments of extremely brutal and realistic violence and bloodshed. On the other hand, if you are a fan of complex story lines, amazing cinematography, top level acting and crackling dialogue, rush out now to see this film.
Oh my ... the acting is as good as it gets (pun intended) with Jack Nicholson as the personification of EVIL as Mob boss Frank Costello. This is a very bad man and Jack is in his element. Sure the guy is a great actor and can pull off fluff like insomnia with Diane Keaton, but this is the Jack that we have loved for decades. He literally spews venom with his lines and facial expressions. Matt Damon, back in his Boston comfort zone (remember "Good Will Hunting") pulls off the role of informant with a truly believable lack of conscience that will hit you in the gut. Now what to say about Leonardo DiCaprio? I promise to never call him "Little Leo" again! He is now a man and flashes the acting maturity that Scorcese has been pushing him towards for a few years. Sure, he steals some mannerisms from DeNiro (watch him flick a cigarette) but his simmering emotions are plastered on his face throughout and trust me when I say, this dude has a LOT of emotion!.
As is Scorcese's custom, the supporting actors are also solid, believable and disappear into their roles. A bloated, washed-out Alec Baldwin is remarkable. Martin Sheen is fine and Mark Wahlberg had to be laughing out loud when he first read his lines ... I know I was! Few could pull off three or four of Wahlberg's hilarious lines without sounding like a stand-up comedian instead of a wily, veteran cop. Also fun to watch is relative newcomer Vera Farmiga who falls for both Leonardo and Damon in what is one of the few story lines that could have been better developed.
Toss in Scorcese's legendary pacing and camera action, an eclectic soundtrack that somehow combines the Rolling Stones, Van Morrison singing Pink Floyd ("Comfortably Numb"), Badfinger and Dvorcak, and the most complex use of cell phones yet, and you have one amazing film that will keep you glued to the screen. A bit of warning ... there is no good time for a potty break during this 2 1/2 hour film so don't buy the large drink!