Scorsese is back, dammit!

Rating: 10/10 (7 October 2006)

It's true. All the reviews talk about this film being his best since "Goodfellas". Every single one is right. I'd like to keep the review pretty short and to the point, so I'll say this much:

All of the actors were great in their roles. The three principals plus the supporting players, Baldwin, Farmiga, O'Hara, Sheen, Wahlberg, among others) were a joy to watch. Gotta love those Boston accents!

This movie is two and a half hours and not once did it drag. That's saying something.

Things I didn't like? Maybe the only thing was that I think at some points, the acting wasn't as subtle as it should've been at times. It seemed to me that every time the word "rat" was said around Costigan or Sullivan, they looked like they were trying not to crap in their pants. Plus, Jack Nicholson came a little close to overdoing it but he was still a sight to see. Just a minor beef and nothing that came close to ruining the movie for me.

Does it live up to the original? I think it does. I rewatched "Infernal Affairs" last night as well and I have to say that the original is probably a little bit tighter in spots but they're both great representations of what is essentially the same story.

Scorsese has returned to do what he does best. This is a damn good film and I'm recommending it whole heartedly. At this point, the man doesn't need an Oscar. We all know that he's one of the best out there, if not the best, and I don't think a crummy Oscar is going to matter. I just hope he continues to make films of this caliber from here on out.
I don't think I'd be exaggerating by giving this movie five stars. It was absolutely fantastic and the most enjoyable, entertaining film I've seen this year.
RATING: ***** out of *****.