The Irishman review
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The Irishman
Netflix
R 210 min
One of the most popular genres of American films is the true and almost true stories of the world of organized crime. If Martin Scorsese isn’t the king of the category he’s at least always mentioned in the top two along with Francis Ford Coppola. Sure Scorsese has TAXI DRIVER GOODFELLAS CASINO MEAN STREETS Etc but Coppola, well hard to argue with THE GODFATHER. Actually the one crime film of Scorsese’s I was least impressed with was GANGS OF NEW YORK which was at one time billed to be the Irish GODFATHER. Let’s just say the disconnect might be the fact that he has the vowel at the wrong end of his name. ;-).
Anyway the Irishman is a groundbreaking film in more ways than one. First of all it comes from the world’s heavyweight champion of streaming services Netflix it features a cast whose pedigree is hard to argue with. Looking back over the filmography it’s apparent that Robert De Niro and Martin Scorsese or something of the Bill Belichick and Tom Brady of the movie world. And this time they’ve added a couple more first-ballot Hall of Fame Mafia movie actors in Joe Pesci and Al Pacino in the Irishman a crime saga based on actual events. Oh, by the way, unlike most films this one weighs in at three and a half hours meaning that watching on Netflix does have the advantage of pausing the flick for bathroom trips Etc.
So, let’s compare. While the GODFATHER was something of a legend based on actual people and events THE IRISHMAN is based on what is supposed to be the actual people and events of the time. And the time? It was the era of the rise and fall of union boss Jimmy Hoffa who, though a household name, wasn’t really that understood by the American public. Of course, that’s kind of the deal with most historical stories. Coppola tends to portray his Mafia figures as larger-than-life figures in a passion play while Scorsese’s are probably more realistic garden-variety mugs. Often his stories are centered on the rat in this case Frank Sheeran (DiNiro). They both follow a code of honor but the ladder tens to include the seedy side of organized crime.
Frankly I thought the casting here was a little odd and would certainly draw protest in today’s political climate (If a white guy played a black guy or a Mexican played an Indian) and here’s why. The Irishman is Hoffa’s right-hand man is played by an Italian, De Niro. Hoffa who was actually German Irish born in Indiana is played by the charismatic but distinctly Italian Pacino. He also doesn’t look or sound anything like Hoffa quite a departure from the Jack Nicholson portrayal from years ago. I’m guessing one reason for that is that nobody in today’s generation really knows who Jimmy Hoffa was nor what he looks or sounds like. Not to mention that having DeNiro Pesci and Pacino in the same film is like having Joe DiMaggio Sandy Koufax and Babe Ruth on the same baseball team.
The guiding hand through this film, Russell Bufalino, the guy who can get things done, is Pesci in a surprisingly understated role compared to his usual histrionics. He isn’t the power but he facilitates the power if you know what I mean.
There really is a lot more to the Hoffa story then we might recall. Don’t forget that the US mafia had a stronghold in Havana and expected Jack Kennedy to get rid of Castro so they could keep their investment as repayment for the election assistance old Joe got from the mob. Not only did that actual quid pro quo never happen but Bobby, Jack's Attorney General, turned his sights toward wiping out the Cosa Nostra. You don’t have to check Wikipedia to find out what happened to the Kennedy boys.
Actually, a lot of the movers and shakers in this saga of the American underworld wound up dead and that’s a matter of record. What is not a matter of record is the actual facts of the case, which we will probably never know until they find the body. This film provides a very interesting conjecture but of course when all is said and done who really knows?
The film looks great, meaning that you actually believed it was shot in the 60s and 70s, but with modern-day cinematography and it never gets boring even as it approaches the 4-Hour mark. It gives flesh to the skeleton of a story we’ve all heard about but never really delved into. Netflix has taken another big step with this one. This is a watershed for American filmmaking.
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WSS -
https://nypost.com/2019/12/03/go-ahead-and-admit-it-the-irishman-is-terrible/
Apparently the folks at the New York Post don't agree with me. I'm thinking clickbait. But ain't everything?
WSS
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Who played Jimmy Hoffa in the book?
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WSS
my toe
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