Review of The Irishman (2019) by Format916 — 21 Nov 2019

The Irishman, the highly anticipated film from Martin Scorsese which reunites actors Joe Pesci. Robert DeNiro and Al Pacino for the first time in decades, in this adaptation of the book I Heard You Paint Houses which recounts the final days of Jimmy Hoffas life and the connection Frank The Irishman Sheeran had to Hoffas disappearance.

There are at least two moments in the film where Robert Deniro's charcter Frank Sheeran mentions how young people of today dont know much about Jimmy Hoffa other than the fact that he dissapeared. And I am definitely in that category and that is how I will be approaching this review. The name Jimmy Hoffa was etched into popular culture as being a notable figure who went missing. I have not done any research on the topic, nor watched or remember previous films on the subject of Jimmy Hoffa, so this story was able to shed some light on Hoffa, who was the head of the Teamsters, and how he was basically the most important figure of the American worker next to the President. The story is told through 3 different timelines. The film begins with an elderly Sheeran telling the audience his story, which then shifts to the present with DeNiro and Pesci on a road trip to Detroit. During their roadtrip, Sheeran recollects the first time he met Bufalino and then shifts to the past to when he began his life of crime. Like other gangster films of the past there are many players and characters to come and go as the film progresses. These films are telling stories that span decades, so even if the viewer is confused or not really know what is going on, you can view it and compare it to gangster films of the past.

And in that regard. I feel The Irishman just cant compare to other films that were told better: Goodfellas, Casino, The Godfather. Alot of the times while watching this I felt I had already seen it before. Which is how some people feel about Casino being another version of Goodfellas. And I guess I was expecting something as epic as those films, but nothing ever comes close. My opinion may be unpopular, but wait for Netflix. And hearing the hefty pricetag on this film x I just couldn't see it on the screen. It really didnt feel cinematic at all. When I went home I had to do a double feature of Goodfellas and Casino just to remind myself that Gangster movies can be a plethora of things: exciting funny and sad. The Irishman is mostly a slog and in time wont be remembered like other classics.