Logan Sork Film Reviews
The Irishman
Martin Scorsese is one of the most accomplished and versatile filmmakers of the past who still finds a way to thrive in today’s blockbuster world. Films like Taxi Driver, The Aviator, and Shutter Island prove that he is one of the best when it comes to telling purely human stories. However, he is probably most well known for his gangster films like Goodfellas and Casino. To me though, those never really felt human. Sure, it explored the idea that power corrupts, but it never felt real to me. With The Irishman, Scorsese makes his return to the genre that defines him to many and merges the human side of his other films that make him so great to me, providing a truly riveting experience from start to finish.
The Irishman is directed by Martin Scorsese and stars Robert De Niro, Joe Pesci, and Al Pacino. The gangster epic chronicles the life of Frank Sheeran (De Niro), a mob hitman who slowly rises through the ranks of the Buffalino crime organization based in Pennsylvania. During his work, he becomes close friends with the head of the organization Russell Buffalino (Pesci), who takes him on as his right-hand man. Later in his career, he is assigned by Russell to help protect Jimmy Hoffa (Pacino), the powerful head of the teamsters trucker union with ties to the mafia. As Sheeran works to help both Russell and Hoffa, he begins to alienate those around him and begins to contemplate his life’s choices on his journey through the dark and twisted world of organized crime.
Now, I guarantee that one of the first things that people are going to say when the film is mentioned is “isn’t that the movie that’s almost 4 hours long”? Well, yes, at three and a half hours long it’s not only Scorsese’s longest film but also one of the longest films released, be it digitally or otherwise. That may be a challenge for some people, especially those who prefer the more action-oriented spectacles most theaters tend to play nowadays. However, The Irishman makes the most out of it’s extended runtime, delivering a story that spans decades and covers many events in U.S. history that were linked to these particular individuals. From the Mafia’s involvement with the Kennedy election to the role they supposedly play in assassinating certain individuals. There really isn’t much in the film that feels like a waste of time. Now, that’s not to say that certain parts could’ve been cut out and not missed, but those areas never really stick out like sore thumbs either. That being said, the film is very well-paced and can easily be seen in one viewing, just make sure you have the time to do so.
A major contributor to the well-paced nature of the film is Scorsese himself as, even though this isn’t his first time directing a gangster film, he still finds new ways to make the film feel fresh and different from everything else in his impressive resume. Everything, the shot composition to the musical choices is classic Scorsese. However, it feels more refined than his previous works in the genre, taking it’s time to tell a story while also not forgetting to include moments of excitement as well. The editing done by Scorsese’s frequent collaborator Thelma Schoonmaker is also excellent. Each moment in the film feels as if it’s given enough time to breathe without overstaying it’s welcome. The two of these talented filmmakers working in tandem with one another ensures that the film never really loses it’s momentum, even when it takes it’s time in some of the slower moments.
Of course, even when it feels slower, you’ll be enthralled by the absolutely phenomenal performances seen on screen. Because of the massive time period that the film covers, digital de-aging technology has been used to allow the actors to portray both the younger and older versions of their perspective characters. Could younger actors have been used? Sure. But by employing this technology, the lead actors get a chance to showcase their impressive range. This can be primarily seen in De Niro’s performance as Frank Sheeran, who plays the character from his early WWII days to the time he is bound to a retirement home. De Niro is amazing in the role, delivering an impressively nuanced performance that shows how the passive of time changes Sheeran without feeling like several different variations. Also impressive is Joe Pesci, who came out of retirement to portray Russell Bufalino. The role is a big departure from Pesci’s other loud roles, showing that he can be just as intimidating when calm and collective. Bringing the over the top anger this time around is Al Pacino as Jimmy Hoffa, whose rage-filled tantrums, while over the top, are just fantastic to watch. However, much like his costars, Pacino knows when to reel it in in the quieter moments, once again showing the impressive range that they can pull off. These lead performers, along with excellent supporters, keep you engaged at nearly every moment of the film, be it loud or quiet.
This brings me to perhaps the best thing about the film, which is how it portrays these tough, mobster characters as humans who eventually succumb to the things all humans do. While many of Scorsese’s gangster films are a lot of fun to watch, they never really left any real impression on me when it came to the characters and how they grew over the journeys. It’s always the same story of how greed leads to their downfall. The Irishman feels very different from that approach in that it shows just how much a life of crime can cause someone to lose sight of what is really important in life. Sure, it gives you power and a bit of fun, but it ultimately deprives you of things like family and mental stability. The film really takes time to explore the impact of this and it’s surprisingly emotional, especially the last third of the film where it really begins to sink in. It’s something really special that sets the film apart not only in Scorsese’s catalog but from others of the crime genre as a surprisingly deep exploration of the human experience.
This is a rare film to see in this day and age and I couldn’t be happier with it. In an age of action-filled blockbusters that rush from action scene to action scene, here is a nearly four-hour film that really takes it’s time to explore the human story of someone within an organization that’s helping him in the short term but ultimately leaves him lonely in the end. The Irishman proves Martin Scorsese is still one of the best filmmakers working today as he presents us with a well-paced epic filled with amazing performances and moments but never forgets the human experience of it all. That is what real cinema is all about and this film is a prime example of that.
9/10