The Irishman-Marty Paints A Magnificent House

Netflix pulls off its most expensive gamble yet with Martin Scorsese's best gangster picture ranking second next to "Goodfellas." Although not technically a mob film, "The Wolf of Wall Street" echoed the same fourth-wall-breaking style counting it amongst four Scorsese crime pictures. Where "Casino" and "Wolf" began to lose its heart along with a running time of three hours, "The Irishman" doubles down on its time, marking it just a minute short of three and half hours, but the length is earned. I saw this film in the middle of the night in a packed theatre with zero intermission, yet my patience wasn't tested. Marty's narrative style of filmmaking is genuinely superb, where the information from the book based on the material is transformed into the best-damned report, you could place on the screen. Many have tried to imitate Marty's essay(esqu) style of storytelling from Chaz Palmentary's "A Bronx Tale," to David O. Russel's "American Hustle," even down to ice skating with "I, Tonya." Where these pictures have seen success, Marty proves why he's the master of his auteurism that the impersonators can't match.

For what seems like forever for fans of Martin Scorsese's work, we finally see the band get back together for one last concert. I love Lionardo DiCaprio, but he doesn't have that same level of street or connection that De Niro or Pesci has with Marty. Even Harvey Keitel, who appeared in Mr. Scorsese's first-ever feature-length film "Who's That Knocking on My Door?" makes a triumphant return in the crime epic. For all the legends Marty has ever worked with, there was always one ingredient missing in his films. Al Pacino. I am pleased to report that not only does Pacino play wonderfully alongside De Niro in what one could argue is an apology for "Righteous Kill," but Pacino feels like he's back at the top of his game. Given a chance to play the charismatic Teamster President Jimmy Hoffa, Pacino provides the kind of over the top theatrical performance he can do like no other. Even better, the usage of Hoffa's explosive personality fits Pacino perfectly in this role. This is the most energetic fun performance I have seen Al achieve in a very long time. To be the ying to Pacino's yang De Niro's Frank Sheeran is the calm one in the situation. He's the guy to cool Jimmy down when he's off on another tangent. Unlike their most famous collaboration in Michael Mann's "Heat," De Niro and Pacino are friends whose relationship emanates wonderfully on-screen.

The one thing I was surprised to see was the theme of friendship in the movie. Not in a sentimental manner but one concerning consequences. Where it seemed like Sam "Ace" Rothstein narrowly avoided a bullet to the head unscathed or where Jordan Belfort only received a slap on the wrist, Frank Sheeran's life crumbles before him. Even to a certain extent, Ray Liotta's Henry Hill in "Goodfellas" seemed to manage to get off relatively easy; sadly, there's no simple escape for Frank. When you sign up to be a hitman, you've written your life away. The friendship between Frank and Jimmy ends the way anyone familiar with Hoffa's history knows how it's going to end, and it hurts to see it. What was even more painful emotionally was watching the relationship between Frank and Russel Bufalino deteriorate with the ramifications of the choices they made in life. After trying to convince Joe Pesci to be in "The Irishman" with approximately 50 requests, Martin Scorsese gets one of Pesci's best performances to date. For once, Joe Pesci is the calm one in the relationship. There's no "funny guy" threats or fits of random violence. We shouldn't have to see the same old role from Joe. Seeing something a tad different is refreshing. The bond between De Niro and Pesci is the same type of tie the two had when playing brothers in "Raging Bull." These two have known each other for decades in the film and in reality. When "The Irishman" comes to a close, we see both these men struggling with their mortality together in a thoughtful manner reminiscent of an old couple spending their remaining days together as the world moves beyond them. Such a poignant methodical tone is a rarity amongst flicks in this category.

If there is one weak link in the film, it's Mr. De Niro himself. It's not his performance per se but rather how little he's given to do. There's no lush scenery for him to chew like Pacino or a sense of urgency Pesci has to deliver. His entire arc is to hold back his emotions, which can make for a sometimes bland character. There are a few moments where we can see De Niro shine, such as when he has to make a particularly difficult phone call or is forced into a task that makes him want to burst into tears. I at least wanted to see one moment where Bob gets to let out some emotion rather than being forced to contain it all the time. To emote is to be human. If we don't let it out, we will explode. Perhaps killing guys was Frank's way of letting those feelings go from time to time, but it wasn't enough to fully invest me with his inner conflict.

We all wind up in the dirt in the end.

If you were suspicious about Netflix funding a film of this type, I'm right there with you. Legends like these are not meant to be seen on the small screen. This is a viewing experience I have dreamed of for a long time, and now it is a reality. Yet, we are stuck seeing it on a format that the director himself isn't fond of. The truth is, "The Irishman" would never have been if it weren't for Netflix. They gave Scorsese the money and final cut where no one else would come near the picture. I do enjoy Marvel movies, but I understand Mr. Scorsese's frustration with them entirely. Big studios don't want to invest $150 million into a film with actors who are in their 70s to 80s. They're not the least bit interested in investing in original ideas alone unless you're Christopher Nolan, who had to make a Batman trilogy in order to become a bankable household name in the first place. Having the pleasure of seeing "The Irishman" on an enormous screen was a thrill that many unfortunately won't get to experience. You can experience it from November 1st-27th, but you'll probably have to hunt down the correct theatre to discover it, plus you'll have to live in the proper city. Be sure to make a free day for "The Irishman" as three and a half hours won't be generous to your daily plans. But boy, is it a good three and a half.

Yes, some scenes are repetitive. I think I got the idea around the fifth conversation regarding a meeting about having a meeting. Some of the jokes overstay their welcome, and some of the uses of mobster code language can be redundant. Finally, to address another elephant in the room, the CGI de-aging is prevalent. Is it noticeable? For me, it wasn't. Was it impressive? Very. It made "Gemini Man" look like a video game. Are there moments where it's spotty? Yes, but they're few and far between. It doesn't detract from the story. If the controversial method wasn't used, I believe it would be hard to relate to the characters the way we are supposed to. If Marty kept swapping out young actors with old ones, the story ironically enough considering the technology would have seemed artificial.

"The Irishman" is the most personal gangster picture Martin Scorsese has made since "Mean Streets." Moral obligations of Catholicism, friendships, and loyalty are in full display. If everyone in the film seems a bit too old to be playing the wise guy bit, the issue of age is profoundly examined. Marty gives us a glimpse into his own mortality. It's no secret that the cast and its director are no longer spring chickens. What's enlightening is to see Marty hit the nail so damn hard on the head relating to the doubts that its characters feel as they grow older. Mr. Scorsese and company know they can't keep doing this forever, yet we can tell this isn't a goodbye. The energy in this film shows us that Mr. Scorsese will provide us with more phenomenal cinema until he suddenly drops dead on set one day. God bless him for all of his continued perseverance.

***1/2 out of ****