Review THE IRISHMAN
The Irishman 2019 Director: Martin Scorsese
Organized crime has always held a fascination. It is a mysterious world where power is exerted in the most direct manner possible, and life or death swings in the balance. In Martin Scorsese’s “The Irishman,” we are given a glimpse inside this world of families, honor and murder.
Based on the book “I heard you paint Houses: Frank (The Irishman) Sheeran and the Closing of the Case on Jimmy Hoffa, by author Charles Brandt, the film recounts the relationship between Sheeran, Jimmy Hoffa and Russell Bufalino.
Scholars, experts and the like have taken issue with Sheeran’s facts. Even the expression “I paint houses,” slang for being a hit man, has been questioned by the those knowledgeable. Sheeran’s credibility took another hit when it was discovered he had forged a document using Jimmy Hoffa’s name. Even with these issues, the experts feel that there maybe some validity to Sheeran’s memoir.
Regardless of how accurate the source material is, The Irishman is one extremely well crafted film. Running at 209 minutes, this epic length exploration of Sheeran’s introduction to “Cosa Nostra,” and labor leader Jimmy Hoffa is a story best told at length. Like many an art film, the pacing is at times languid. But that should not be off putting considering the big pay off that comes with later scenes.
For a movie that speaks to violence, crime and death, there is surprisingly little gore or blood. The focus here is on character development, motivation and the complex interplay of personalities, ambitions, loyalties and even idealism, that is at the heart of this story. While this is a classic story about organized crime, the subtext is about the consequences of choices. The manner in which a goal is obtained has a decisive influence on the outcome.
Characters age in this film, and the technique used is so unobtrusive that it does not interfere with the story being told. Sometimes effects like this can be distracting. Here it is not.
The performances are exceptional. Joe Pesci, who is known for his more flamboyant characters, gives a nuanced restrained one here. The results are impressive. Pesci, with surprising economy, projects power and menace.
Portraying the larger than life Union leader Jimmy Hoffa, Al Pacino, who seems cast against type here, manages to radiate the energy and forcefulness of a character who is both well intended and opportunistic.
Having perfected roles like this in the past, Robert DeNiro’s Sheeran is both like and unlike his previous characters. Sheeran is rough, hard, raw and smart, and DeNiro manages to let you inside a character that could easily could have become impenetrable. A commentator has said that DeNiro reads his lines as if he were speaking them for the first time. Not unlike Meryl Streep, who inhabits her parts, DeNiro never fails to find the right tone for his characters, be it comedy or drama.
I have only minor, very minor, qualms with this epic. Some scenes could have been truncated without much loss, and others could have continued on to greater length. The scenes involving Sheeran and his daughter feel slight given how significant her role is as something of a conscious to the movie. The idea of using her this way is effective, but it seems as if it is cut short.
There are also one scene between Sheeran and Hoffa in a car that feel as if it owes a small debt to Quentin Tarantino. Non sequiturs and rambling dialogue actually work well here as both humorous and ominous.
Overlooking its length and pacing, that does not stop this from being one of the most significant films of its genre ever made. This is well worth watching to see a director and stars in prime form.
Gripping, funny, dark and fascinating, this is one film well worth watching. Even if you are not used to such length, do what I did and break it up into sections. It still works well even taken in parts. This is must see television. Netflix has a classic.
