The Irishman : A Movie Which Deserves a Theatrical Release!

The Irishman (titled onscreen as I Heard You Paint Houses) is a 2019 American epic crime film directed and produced by Martin Scorsese and written by Steven Zaillian, based on the 2004 memoir I Heard You Paint Houses by Charles Brandt.

The film stars Robert De Niro, Al Pacino, and Joe Pesci as Frank “The Irishman” Sheeran, Jimmy Hoffa, and Russell Bufalino, respectively, and follows Sheeran as he recounts his alleged jobs as a hitman for the Bufalino crime family.

• Scorsese makes a return yet again to the Genre he excels in
• This story of Blood & Bullets is based on a non fiction memoir
• I was fortunate to witness it before it’s global release on Netflix in November

So, does Scorsese score again?

Let’s find out

• Scorsese definitely hits and rips the Bulls-Eye this time again
• He adapts this Gangster story with all the required story telling tropes
• The depiction of the US of the 60’s and the Gangster Era are stunning and bewildering

The biggest achievement on this one?

Scorsese managing to get 3 Powerful Acts: Pacino, De Niro and Pesci

• These 3 actors take like fish to water with the source material
• Aided by Zaillian’s screenplay, Scorsese crafts a story of Age, Sin, Remorse, Choice and Passivity that is astounding to witness
• Once again, this son of a gun proves his adept handling of humor
• The humor in his movies is inherent even when the characters find themselves in grim situations
• Another beauty tied in to the narrative is the socio-political commentary of the times running seamlessly
• This keeps us aware of the State of Affairs for that Era
• The Soundtrack by Robbie Robertson keeps that time intact
• The $159 million spent on the de-ageing process stands out
• It doesn’t take away from the performances and looks convincing

The Performances?

• Joe Pesci gives his most subtle yet restrained act of his career
• He nails certain set pieces with dexterity
• On this one, he trades the display of brute power with that of influence
• Regardless of his diminutive stature, he proves his worth
• His actions are sufficient enough to prove his weight

• Al Pacino as Hoffa is truly electric
• His actions are reminiscent of Heat and many others
• Pacino chooses to nail them as it is and yet lends gravitas

And finally, Robert De Niro?

• De Niro as the mob driver Sheeran manages to convey his Influence, Power and Fear
• Certain sequences crack you up; they are introspective yet meant to convey subtle messages
• The Supporting Cast, as always is Flawless

So, what doesn’t work?

• The Length can tend to drag even though the screenplay doesn’t
• It tests your patience and can be taxing for it’s run-time

The Verdict?

• The Irishman definitely deserves to be seen on the big screen
• This is not a masterpiece by Scorsese, but it definitely is amongst his best
• This Irishman deserves a Big Screen Viewing but for now we will need to use Netflix for the premiere

P.S: I was fortunate enough to watch The Irishman on a theater screen as part of the MAMI 2019 Festival

• No matter the length of the movie, audiences akin to me could endure
• The endurance of waiting in queues for multiple hours, fighting for tickets, jostling to break in for the last few tickets, forgoing food to keep their spot reserved
• Cheering every other actor, credits and the appearance of the 3 leads

PLEASE ENSURE THE IRISHMAN IS ON OUR VIEWING LISTS WHEN IT PREMIERES ON NETFLIX

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