Anytime a film by Martin Scorsese is released, cinephiles rejoice. A Scorsese film immediately earns credibility all thanks to his extensive body of work, which has made him one of the greatest directors of all time. It’s hard to ignore any of his films, but his recent release just had a bit more buzz to it.
The Irishman brings Marty back to his mob film roots with Goodfellas and Casino and reunites his longtime iconic crew of Robert De Niro, Joe Pesci, and Harvey Keitel. The cherry on top is the inclusion of Al Pacino. Adding to his legacy, The Irishman solidifies that Martin Scorsese is one of the all-time great directors as he masterfully crafts a story that feels like an epilogue to those mob film roots.
Based on the book “I Heard You Paint Houses: Frank “The Irishman” Sheeran and Closing the Case on Jimmy Hoffa” by Charles Brandt, the film spans multiples decades and follows Sheeran as he encounters and befriends Russell Bufalino (Pesci), who becomes a longtime friend, Angelo Bruno (Keitel) and Jimmy Hoffa, (Pacino), the union boss whose mysterious disappearance remains one of the biggest mysteries in American history.
What makes The Irishman work so well is that it is not just a typical Scorsese mob film. Steve Zaillian’s brilliant script and Scorsese’s impeccable direction make the film one of the most reflective films of his filmography. Along with an expected focus on organized crime and its ties to politics, including John F. Kennedy’s election, The Irishman looks at friendship, love, morality, and life’s constant imperfections.
In their best performances in years, Robert De Niro and Al Pacino are nothing short of breathtaking. Performance-wise, they are the yin and yang to each other as De Niro’s portrayal of Frank Sheeran is subdued but effective, while Pacino has the showier and scene-chewing and stealing performance. Not since 1995’s Heat and 1999’s The Insider, has Pacino been this good. Pacino carries the film, and while the classic Pacino anger-filled shouting is in play, he still delivers a performance full of heart and humanity. Both De Niro and Pacino should be in line for an Academy Award nomination, with the latter currently my choice for the winner in the Best Supporting Actor category.
The rest of the supporting cast should be commended for their roles. In his first film since The Good Shepherd, Joe Pesci is a joy to watch. Walking into the film, I expected Pesci to channel his roles from Goodfellas and Casino. Boy was I wrong. Pesci is the complete opposite. Rather than starting trouble, Pesci’s Russell Bufalino is the one people go to when trouble and turf wars need to be squashed and is one of the most respected figures in the film. If this is Pesci’s last film, what a way to end a career. Harvey Keitel, while minimal in his on-screen time, does play the vital role of a mob boss, Angelo Bruno, and is effective in the film.
Two big subjects of controversy before the film’s release was the CGI used to de-age the actors in the movie and the length of the film.
Despite clocking in at close to 3 and a half hours, The Irishman never feels like a chore to sit through. Credit should be given to Thelma Schoonmaker as she seamlessly blends all the decades in ways that never lets up and never make you feel like you are wasting your time. The editing in this film is no easy feat and is an achievement in editing – the best of 2019 thus far.
I’ve personally never seen the length of a film as a huge issue. Some of my favorite movies of all time have a hefty run time; however, in an era of binge-watching, The Irishman on Netflix is quite frankly a perfect match. Most binge-watchers sit through 5-6 episodes at a time of their favorite shows.
In regards to the de-aging, while glaring when it’s first introduced, it never becomes a distracting factor in the film. While De Niro’s early de-aging was hard to get used to at first, Pesci and Pacino’s were spot on. Rodrigo Prieto’s cinematography is awards-worthy as well. Never is the violence on-screen glamorized and the final shot of the film is both beautiful and heartbreaking.
The Irishman gives its audience so many emotions and is poignant, funny, violent, and beautiful. It is a modern-day mobster masterpiece from a master of his craft and should be watched as soon as it hits Netflix on November 27th.
