Our Leah Sydney attended a private screening of “The Irishman” in Los Angeles today. She was very enthusiastic.
Martin Scorsese’s “The Irishman” is a monumental mobster masterpiece from a master filmmaker. The film is poignant, funny, violent and compassionate, weave that in with Scorsese’s longtime iconic trusty gang, DeNiro, Pacino, Pesci, Keitel; that in itself would be enough.
But true to Scorsese’s supernatural skill, and with Steve Zaillian’s brilliant script, there is so much more. This is perhaps his most reflective film, focusing on life’s imperfections and mortality. Nostalgic, innovative and breathtakingly artistic. “The Irishman” bathes you in its time, it’s a bath that you just want to linger in, the 3 hours, 29 minutes running time goes by too quickly.
Based on the book “I Heard You Paint Houses” and told through the hit man Frank Sheeran (De Niro) the saga, spanning decades, tells the story of Jimmy Hoffa, (Pacino) the larger than life union boss who was murdered but remains the most massive unsolved mystery in American history. Sheeran’s bosses included the tough as nails Russell Bufalino (Pesci). The intricacies of the story, the deep dive into organized crime with the gritty goings on and the ties to politics, JFK’s election and more, make this film an absolutely perfect, engaging movie going experience.
The poignancy theme is throughout the film, and the last 1/3 is especially moving. “The Irishman” is an epic of filmmaking, the crime packed ride provides more pop culture memorable lines that will be in our lexicon for future generations.
The actors are perfection, besides the top three Kathrine Narducci as Pesci’s wife, Bobby Cannavale as Felix DiTullio, Harvey Keitel as Angelo Bruno, Ray Romano as Hoffa’s hapless lawyer, Bill Bufalino, and more, all shine. DeNiro, Pacino and company have never been better. So the remarkable legacy of the genius of Scorsese lives on in cinematic history.
