The Irishman (Review)

Feelings About Scorsese Aside, The Irishman is Brilliant.

Before I really get into The Irishman, I have to say that I’m pretty annoyed with recent comments from director Martin Scorsese regarding Marvel movies and what constitutes cinema. However, I’m going to put all that aside, because the guy does deserve a lot of respect for the work he’s done, especially with The Irishman. It is probably one of the best films of the year and deserves the hype it’s gotten. In truth, it might be the best movie he’s ever made. Scorsese teams with many long-time collaborators once again, and they give absolutely incredible performances. The only problem is that at three and a half hours, The Irishman is painfully long at times and because of that comes across as self-indulgent.

Gather round kids as we learn the tale of the late Jimmy Hoffa (played by Al Pacino). He was an extremely powerful man that built one of the biggest and most corrupt unions of all time until he “mysteriously disappeared.” The Irishman tells the story of how all this came to be through the eyes of Frank Sheeran (Robert De Niro), who was a mobster and good friend of Hoffa. Frank’s story begins as he befriends wiseguy Russell Bufalino (Joe Pesci) and gets ushered into the Italian mafia. As he rises through the ranks, he meets a lot of powerful people and is involved in numerous evil deeds. Over the years, he sees a lot and learns a lot of secrets, none bigger than the ones he knows about Hoffa.

Everyone in The Irishman is incredible. Pacino’s brand of exhausted shouting that he uses so often for roles is perfect for Hoffa. He’s a narcissist which doesn’t exactly mesh well with the egos that we see so often in members of the mafia in films. Pesci’s Bufalino though is the exception. He’s a quiet man who keeps his anger in check and believes in the rule of law through a twisted form of wiseguy bureaucracy. He makes every action, no matter how violent or despicable seem strangely reasonable, because he is one of the few characters in the film that keeps his emotions in check. I have to say, it’s really great to see him on screen again. Then there’s De Niro. He’s always been an extraordinary actor, but his performance in The Irishman is the best I’ve seen from him. Sheeran is essentially the man in the middle between Hoffa and the mob, and that leads to a lot of internal struggle over where his loyalties lie. While his conscience remains clear when it comes to violence, the more tumultuous things become between others the more it weighs on him. Being a “tough guy” though, De Niro doesn’t talk a lot about feelings, but his silence speaks volumes. I wholeheartedly believe he deserves an Oscar for his outstanding work.

I admire the attention to detail that went into the production of The Irishman. The film spans several decades and reflects the changing times beautifully. The costuming especially meshes with the period and the characters perfectly. The loud suits, flashy jewelry, enormous cars, and gritty bars bring a sense of authenticity to The Irishman. Many of the scenes take place in back rooms, bars, and sleazy docks, that really emphasizes the seedy underworld that the film takes place in. As great as the settings and costumes are, the really impressive work in The Irishman has to be the digital de-aging all the actors went through. There’s been some really awful CGI when it comes to that kind of stuff, but The Irishman’s effects area positive exception. Sure, some scenes are a little wonky and give the actors a bit of a “stretched skin” look. While the effects aren’t as well done as Endgame or Terminator: Dark Fate, they are almost perfectly executed and add a lot to the story.

There is a lot of good in The Irishman, but it does have its drawbacks. Most notably is that it is a beast of a film. It’s so long and Scorsese drags out a lot of scenes for the sake of tension that it gets a little old. There probably could have been at least 45 minutes cut from the film, because it gets bogged down in the details. Some of which don’t even feel like they really matter that much to the story. At times, it feels excessive. Another aspect that I didn’t like is the toxic masculinity and egotistical nature of so many of the characters. I understand that it’s meant for authenticity, but it makes so many of these tough guys come across like children throwing tantrums because their feelings were hurt. It’s almost pathetic. The worst though is that the ending drags and drags as it tries to create more sympathy for a man we already have a solid connection with. 

The Irishman deserves all of the hype it’s gotten over the past few months. It’s a well-told story with some of the best performances of the year. It is a really, really good movie, but it’s not perfect. I really enjoyed watching it and I believe that it’s an excellent showcase of the immense talent that worked to make it. However, it does drag at times and many of the scenes tend to meander along, seemingly without direction. Still, I can’t help but strongly recommend seeing it because it is legitimately brilliant. That being said, be prepared to pause it a couple of times for pee breaks.