THE IRISHMAN REVIEW
Starring: Robert DeNiro, Al Pacino, and Joe Pesci
Directed By: Martin Scorcese (Goodfellas, The Departed)
Rated: R
Runtime: 3 hours 30 minutes
When a movie is announced to star DeNiro, Pacino, & Pesci there’s a high bar.Joe Pesci has not appeared in a major American film in 13 years.Effectively retiring after The Good Shepherd in 2006.Literally, the last movie you remember him in was Lethal Weapon 4 in 1998.It would take a lot for the 76-year old to get back on a movie set.Add in that The Irishman is directed by Martin Scorcese and the excitement level goes through the roof for me.
The Irishman is based on the book “I Heard You Paint Houses” which is essentially the confession of former Union President Frank Sheeran.In the book he admits to being the one who killed Jimmy Hoffa.Released in 2004, no one has really ever been able to confirm whether or not the stories in the book are true, but it’s a good yarn, why not spin it on the big screen?
Robert DeNiro plays Sheeran, Al Pacino takes on the role of Jimmy Hoffa.Both get to play the characters with their stereotypical mannerisms on full display.Pacino goes over the top and DeNiro is more subtle and understated.It’s just the third movie in which the two acting legends have shared a scene together.Heat, Righteous Kill, and The Irishman.Remember, both were in The Godfather Part Two, but did not share a scene together.
Speaking of The Godfather Part Two, The Irishman is ten minutes longer than that classic film.Clocking in at three and a half hours, the movie is a bit of a chore to get through.But I’ll say this, given its bloated runtime, the movie didn’t really FEEL that long.I only checked the time twice.And the second time was with less than ten minutes left.The movie is never really boring, and when it’s firing on all cylinders the story is one of the most engrossing of the year.Often, time flies in this movie.
The Irishman touts de-aging technology so the movie can span several decades without having to get new actors to play the main characters.This same tech was used in the Will Smith stinker, Gemini Man, earlier this year.It looked cartoony and like something out of a video game.Here, it works.It looks incredible, and we’re not de-aging the actors as much as in Gemini Man.It’s a more subtle feature here, not a gimmick.
You’re going to hear a lot about The Irishman between now and awards season.I think it could end up garnering the most nominations.I’m not sure if it will win anything, but it’s going to get a ton of nominations.Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor, Best Supporting Actor, Best Adapted Screenplay among other possibilities.I think it’s best bet to win something should be with Joe Pesci for Best Supporting Actor, he gives a career best performance here and what a wonderful story it would be for the actor we thought was retired to hit a walk-off home run in his final at-bat.But Al Pacino is also running in the Supporting category, and he might end up costing Pesci an award.
I loved this movie.The Irishman is a fascinating story of greed and friendship.The final act reveals what the movie was really about the whole time, it’s sneaky and subtle.It isn’t a twist ending or anything.There’s just a really long epilogue and you wonder what the point is, but in the movie’s final frames the moral of the story is slowly revealed.The movie is fun, expertly made, and not nearly as violent as I assumed it would be going in.Time will tell if this movie will be remembered as fondly as other mob epics like Goodfellas, Casino, or The Godfather.I feel crazy saying this, but I think it might be possible.
Yes, the movie is three and a half hours long.I really, truly believe it is the movie’s only flaw.The runtime creates scenes that make the movie imperfect, because you’re just filling time.Trim the fat, make it three hours on the nose, and this movie might be perfect.There isn’t a lot that feels unnecessary, but it’s there.And it’s only there because the movie is three and a half hours long.But there’s a work around for you listening to this review on the radio or on our podcast page at KFAB dot com (cheap plug).
You can watch it on Netflix beginning Wednesday.But I warn you, this isn’t the typical Netflix movie.This isn’t a fold the laundry while you watch type movie.You want to sink into this movie.The Netflix advantage here is that you can pause it and go the bathroom.You can pause it and go make a snack.Don’t try and multitask with The Irishman.Don’t watch it on your phone as you’re sitting in the back seat going to grandma’s for Thanksgiving.This isn’t the place for that.Sit down and focus.
On a scale of “See It/Stream It/Skip It” – See It – One of the best movies of the year despite its epic runtime.That is the only beef I have with The Irishman
If you like movies like Goodfellas, Heat, or Casino you might enjoy The Irishman
4 out of 5 stars for The Irishman.I’m going to watch it again on Netflix and I might go 4.5 when it’s all said and done.Some of the best performances on screen this year.Another great edition to the mob movie pantheon.