Well it took me far too long to see this movie than I had initially anticipated, but well there has been too much real life drama going on to explain it. I have not seen Internal Affairs, and therefore have no opinion on which is better/worse. I have however seen everything Scorsese has put on celluloid (at least all his fiction films), and well the overwhelming response from most people is that Scorsese is back and in rare form. I however would argue that he's never left. I immensly enjoyed his last three features, but there's something to be said about a director who returns to the genre he helped redefine. Likewise no matter how much you may like John Ford's Mogambo, Mr. Roberts, or the Quiet Man, there is no where near the same satisfaction you get when he comes back to his own in the Searchers. Scorsese is certainly drawing parallels to himself and Ford, if by nothing else the use of part of Max Steiner's score for Ford's The Informer.

Scorsese is back in the genre, but much different. The obvious omission is his cast. The almost entirely Italian mafia of his earlier pictures has been replaced by the Irish. It is ironic that a great deal of racial prejudice is shown here, particularly by the Irish towards the Italians. Leonardo DiCaprio is becoming something of the new DeNero and seems to be getting better with every appearance. As great as his work may have been in The Aviator, I might say he one ups himself here. However the film is so packed, that no one actor dominates the film. Everyone is strong in their moments, and for my money Mark Whalberg seems to make the most of his supporting part.

Rooting for anti-heroes is always something a little tricky. The rat has to die, but in this film there's a question of "which rat." I found myself pulling for DiCaprio throughout the film, and grew more and more to despise Damon. Scorsese works well to develop this, as in his traditional world the mob would be the "good guys". Even Jack Nicholson who is nearly impossible not to like, makes us repelled by him. I actually wanted him to get caught, get turned in, get shown up. Again great work by director and actor to make me root against Jack. 

Stylistically Scorsese keeps his usual visual flair, and makes us occasionally very aware of his craft. At times this can be distracting, as in Damon's phone conversation with his girlfriend in clear focus in the background. The shot is jarring, and recalls very directly some of the "trick" photography used in Kane. The blending of time is something also fairly common for Scorsese. Everything moves fast, and you are never even sure how long everything has been going on in this story. It is very indicative of the narrative style of Goodfellas and Casino. In all a first rate effort, and certainly a frontrunner as the best film of the year. I might add that I'm genuinely happy that Scorsese has a bonafied box office hit on his hands.