Netflix
Three hours and twenty-nine minutes, a large cheese pizza, two energy drinks, and a bag of chips is what it took for me to get through Martin Scorsese’s new film The Irishman on Netflix. Usually I can sit through a lengthy film like this, but not when it is ten o’clock at night, so I needed some help. My excitement level for the film is also what made me able to stay up and I am glad I didn’t doze off during the film because it’s good … really good.
Scorsese directing a mob film isn’t anything new. His films Casino and Goodfellas stand amongst some of the best gangster films of all time and I feel that The Irishman may join them. Robert De Niro stars as Frank Sheeran (De Niro’s nith film with Scorsese), a mob hitman who recalls his possible involvement with the disappearance of Jimmy Hoffa (Al Pacino).
Much like previous Scorsese films, the cast is stacked with talented actors and actresses. Joe Pesci joins De Niro and Pacino as well as Anna Paquin, Harvey Keitel, Jesse Plemons, Bobby Cannavale, and Jack Huston. Scorsese utilizes everyone’s talents to craft a character-heavy film. With the movie being three hours and twenty-nine minutes, a lot of development went into Sheeran (De Niro), Hoffa (Pacino), and Bufalino (Pesci). The film covers several decades of character interactions, shady ways to earn money, and members of the mob controlling a lot. The runtime is perfect for what Scorsese wants to cover. At the end of the film, you felt satisfied with the amount of screen time each actor received. With so much development going into the characters, it allowed for moments towards the end to feel heavy and personal.
The first two acts of the movie feel quick. A lot of different people are being introduced and you must keep up with all the names that are being thrown at you. The film is structured as Sheeran in his later years recalling his life when he first met Hoffa and Bufalino, so there is a lot of ground to cover. As the film moves towards the end, the pacing slows down and becomes personal and emotional. This felt welcomed because of the relationships that have been built up and with the third act we get to see them be challenged. The third act of the film had the most gripping moments of the whole movie, even with that slower pace.
Scorsese has directed over 20 films and has a distinct style of directing. Some of his style stands out amongst his other films, but with The Irishman, he is able to combine certain styles that he is known for. There are plenty of tracking shots, which add intensity to scenes, and there are plenty of characters talking to the camera, which reminded me of The Wolf of Wall Street. Whatever style he is using, it is impressive and with such a long runtime, I wonder how much of the film was cut out for the release.
There is plenty of de-aging going on in the movie and often it is distracting, especially with De Niro. De Niro has a distinct smile and his lips were the most distracting thing in the movie. I could easily tell that it didn’t look right and all I did was stare at his lips. Pesci’s de-aging was a little bit better, but still overall distracting.
I knew The Irishman was going to be good. Scorsese is one of my favorite directors, but this movie exceeded my expectations in many ways. I was also surprised to hear that Pacino has never worked with Scorsese before. With the movies Scorsese directs, it seems that Pacino would fit in perfectly, just like he did in The Irishman.
Want to see The Irishman and judge for yourself? Click on the image below to see the movie, and be sure to come back and tell us what you thought!
The Irishman has a run time of 3 hours 29 minutes and is rated R for pervasive language and strong violence.
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