You're right, it wasn't very good. A letdown.
Paul Cantor
The CGI was a little painful to watch. Watching a 76 year old De Niro pretend to be a younger man roughing up the guy who hurt his daughter was comical.
No arc on this bad boy. You’re spot on this should have been a series and had more depth with the female characters.
Rick Mueller
As with most of your articles... you compose equal parts of brilliance and bullshit.
Maybe that’s the point.
Of course I knew where the story was going. It was evident early when the shot pulled out to reveal DeNiro in a nursing home.
But it was a fun ride.
Especially on Thanksgiving evening sitting next to my beautiful bride with a roaring fire, a premier home theatre system and a remote with a pause button.
Best regards, Rob Joseph Columbus, OH FOS (fly over state)
I couldn't agree with you more. For a film that is 3 hours 15 minutes, you need far more sub-text, nuance and interpersonal relationships (as you mentioned) to make a film of this scope work.
I agree with you that Pesci and Pacino were brilliant. Pesci especially. He has a subtlety and world weariness in his portrayal of Bufalino that was extremely powerful and potent, unlike any performance he's ever given.
Steve Zallian is a great writer (Schindler's List, Awakenings, Gangs of New York, All The Kings Men, Moneyball) and he had an ample canvas (3 1/4 hours) to really explore the points you mentioned as well as a lot of other subtler elements a film of this length affords you creatively. Sadly, the length of The Irishman just exacerbated his and Scorsese profound short-comings in those areas.
Hope you and Felice had a great Thanksgiving.
Ritch Esra
Movie has to go viral first to get buzz, it’s the opposite of the way the movie industry usually works. When the work is great, just release it!
Stephen Tatton
Watched it with about 10 family members after Thanksgiving dessert. We all agreed it was just plain bad. The movie that is, not the dessert!
Gene Bolan
Jesus Christ, man. You write a column for people’s email inboxes, and of this 3.5 hour thoughtful character study made by a genius, you have to say, “Scorsese keeps making the same damn film over and over again.” This is really only true with Casino and Goodfellas, which were released decades ago. Are you just pretending The Departed was the same movie? Or, even more so, The Irishman? Pretty fucking lazy. Also, buzz has fucking nothing to do with quality. Scorsese hasn’t been bashful about trying to build public awareness of the film. Marvel is a cheap (very expensive) way to guarantee return on investment. Martin S. Is trying to make real films and you’re dinging him on not getting buzz. Fuck man, you are exhausting sometimes.
Sean Barna
I must disagree with your take on The Irishman. From the opening scene, the viewer is aware that this is a period piece, which Scorcese does so well. The mood was set with the 5 Satins, and Scorcese wrapped the film with that same familiar song. To me, it was a cinematic experience. Was I disappointed that the score was mostly 40’s and 50’s? Not really as Scorcese often uses that device in his films. To see DeNiro, Pacino and Pesci was a joy, inasmuch as Pesci virtually retired from acting in 1999, with very rare appearances since then, and the DeNiro/Pacino scenes in this film are memorable. Was it perfect? No. Was it too long? Yes, but I never looked at my watch. I will see it again, because with a Scorcese film, on second viewing, since you already know the story, you can notice all the little things that evidence him as a remarkable filmmaker.
Sari Leon
yea saw this in the theater yesterday and was very unimpressed
was clearly made for TV and seeing it in theaters was fine, but not where ut was meat to be seen
too long and too much nonsense and scenes that don’t pay off at all. Pesci was amazing but over all it was kind of a mess . story was all over the place and even the good moments were not as powerful cause of all the other stuff in there
very disappointing
Todd Berger
I read "I Hear You Paint Houses" and looked forward to the movie. Your term "linear" was perfect. Pesci was incredible , Pacino as you say , "Oscar worthy" and the book carefully explained Sheehan’s youth and how he became a "painter" I got tired of De Niro; didn’t move me.
Barney Adams
Good grief Bob. I certainly wasn’t disappointed. The film is about relationships. The ones these types of men choose to nurture and the ones they don’t. And then what happens in the end because of those choices. And not one word about all three of the principle actors appearing as their younger selves?
C. Trimboli
The Irishman was nothing. Not nothing special. Just nothing. If not for Pesci, I’d have turned it off halfway through. DeNiro was wasted. It felt like we were being dragged through this story. It didn’t feel like cinema. It felt like bad TV movie material.
Robert C. Wood
The cast should have been enough, but it wasn’t. Like an allstar band without the hit. I’ve tried to watch it twice now. 3 1/2 hours is just too long for entertainment that doesn’t demand it.
Dave Morris
I agree. So disappointing.
Jim Urie
I literally couldn't wait....Counted the days....
The Irishman...A giant sleeping pill.....so disappointed.
Leigh Goldstein
100% Bob, I was so excited to see it and so let down. I was left thinking what was the point of that—take the great actors away and it wouldn’t get a look in.
Allan Marks
Spot on. I agree with you on this one.
Re: the buzz aspect is the issue of marquee name awareness or lack thereof. At Thanksgiving dinner last night the group at my end of the table was split on the cinematic significance of getting DeNiro/Pacino/Keitel/Pesci all together for a new film. It was split along generational lines. Under 35 could care less what Scorsese is up to. it literally didn’t seem to cross their pop culture frontal cortex lobe. Whereas the older folks were all about it!
20 years ago this would not have been the case. I can see the lines in Westwood wrapped around the block in my third eye if days past. Even at 20-25 years old it was a mandatory coming of age ritual to know Kubrick, Coppola, Hitchcock, Scorsese and etc...we just did.
In 2919, I don’t think classic film icons work the same way classic rock ones do. The brand name of the Stones or Eagles carry it and is what sells out stadiums. Half the audience doesn’t even care who’s in the band, just as long as they play the hits. Brand names aren’t what they used to be in movies. A Scorsese film is no longer guaranteed box office gold or even buzz worthy.
I’m shocked The Irishman is trickling so quietly out in the urban vernacular. the times they are a changin.
Best
Zach Leary
Totally agree. The real problem is the length and editing. Marty’s had final cut for too long. If it had been 2:20 it would have been amazing.
Adam Beasley
I couldn’t agree more. All of it. As I was watching and taking breaks, I said to myself Four part miniseries. Including their discussion that was shown after the ( mile long )credits
Marc Gilutin
Saw it. Pesci knocked it out of the park. Will get the Academy Award, for sure. But also, could not believe it, the soundtrack had my favorite song ever, the haunting, mysterious, "Sally Goes ‘Round the Roses," by the Jaynetts. Almost came out of my seat. And I have forgotten how powerful "In the Still of the Night," remains to this day. I saw it down on Broadway, at the Belasco, on 44th Street. Sound system was great. Worth the candle, Best, John Hummer
P.S. Also, slight disagree on Peggy. "Yeah, why did’t you call him,"——- great scene. Lots of artistic indirection there. Liked her character.
I thought the same thing, he’s been making the same movie for a long time now… And I know they talked about the CGI aging thing, but it bugged the hell out of me the whole movie… That said, I still kind of enjoyed watching it… But it really was not what I was hoping.
Wade Biery
I agree with most of what you say on The Irishman but I couldn’t take my eyes off it. It’s fascinating, and of course so beautifully made that it didn’t bother me it’s so long.
Best, Jeff Capshew
Scorsese is wrong when he insults Comic Book films and SciFi films. Scorsese is upset that no one wanted to make his movie - the same movie he’s made again and again - the gangster film is his version of the comic book movie except in his movies he just hires the same people to play “new” characters and everyone keeps getting older.
Jared
I have been trying to sneak 4 hours away to finally see this beauty, but family first you know...
Finally tonight I saw it. Bob, I am thinking the next Departed. It was gorgeous, all the sweet cameos from the great gangster film actors. Never anything forced or cheesy, solid acting! In the end... I don’t get it. Sure it’s solid, but Godfather material?! Hardly. I agree, Keitel’s character could have been fleshed out more. Pesci IS phenomenal!
That said , you’re right. I am disappointed by this masterpiece.
Lavon Pgan
" 'The Irishman' should have been a miniseries..."
I just treated it like it was. A three part miniseries with no discernible stops and starts.
Berton Averre
It’s long and slow - and I saw at s SAG screening the DGA with Pacino and DeNiro in the wings while an audience of relative insiders . Those two - along with Scorcese - matter to a relative handful of people, and old ones at that. They’re selling the film like a reformed supergroup: all hail the return of Blind Faith or something. There was no real plot - every knows Hoffa disappeared already - and man, it just meandered on and on and on. I agree with your miniseries approach, but even then, it would have been tedious. No suspense.
JH Tompkins L.A.
I loved it.
Sherry Snyder
No joke. Not even Jim Norton as Don Rickles was funny.
Victoria Joyce
And another simple point ... there was not a single moment of drama or tension in the entire movie. That is absolutely amazing for a 3.5 movie filled with history, violence, and multiple characters. It was a serious disappointment.
Kevin Patrick Connors
LET IT SNOW is a better TV movie, on HULU. Agree about THE MORNING SHOW, it could have been done in 90 minutes on Lifetime. The Irishman is like GANGS OF New York: History and historic and no story at all. I prefer THE CURSE OF OAK ISLAND and ANCIENT ALIENS.
Walter Sabo
I felt the same way Bob. I love Scorcese but this one left me worn -out and unfulfilled. I did my own critique on FB the other day and had a lot of rotten veggies thrown at me for not going lock-step with all the mob movie mavens who are in lock-step with Marty. Sheeran’s character is more like an Everyman outsider that even though his right there inside he’s still not believable. All the whacking and method acting in the world can’t save this screenplay. Now I’ll have to be careful when I start my car in the morning!
Kenny Lee Lewis
You nailed it Bob.
Mark N. Foley
Agree 100%.. as soon as it ended I thought a TV series( maybe 6-8 episodes) were called for.. too many details lost, sub plots , ...It's as if, in spite being " one of the big directors", Scorsese never got over not being the one who made The Godfather.. this was his attempt.. nice try.
Paul Ehrlich
Bingo
J.D. v Lots of buzz about it on my Facebook page. People mostly love it, although 3 said it was too long.
Maybe you'd like it more if you were connected to Philly or NY or other places where the story took place, or if you knew some of the characters in real life as some of the local people here in Philly do, which makes the discussion even more interesting. I can't wait to see it.
Rochelle Rabin
You nailed it.
I signed back up for Netflix just so I could see The Irishman on the Vizio.
With 2:24:45 left there was a continuity mistake. DeNiro has just left a meeting with Pacino. He is putting on his overcoat. The lapel is up, not straightened. In the following few seconds of film, shot from behind, the lapel is turned down smoothed out. The next view from the front, the lapel is back up and rumpled. Inexcusable.
Sincerely,
Dan Daly
Who under 50 is going to even know or care who Jimmy Hoffa was? Nobody cares. A great cast that was wasted in a boring movie. Lazy non existent camera work. Did Scorsese even show up to work. Agree with you Bob, what a let down.
Phil Botti
I loved it, linear or not!
Michael Fremer
I always tend to agree with you, but I really feel different about The Irishman. Now it’s not getting the viral buzz of Birdbox, but it was popping up all over my inbox, and a group of us watched it together on Thursday night. I live on the east coast but this was a Midwest thanksgiving and I wasn’t the one to recommend we put it on.
Jared
I loved The Irishman. It’s not perfect, but I disagree—it’s really, really good. I was not disappointed. -Mark Feldman, NYC
Hi Bob Watched Wednesday night. Your write up, down to the car confusion. could have been my words on the film. The acting was the only thing I could talk about on Thursday.
Paul Zullo
Great piece on The Irishman. You may have just given me the answer to the question "should I spend all of that time to watch it?" It has all the right names attached that make me think I'll enjoy it but based on your opinion, which is usually reliable, I now know I won't hurry to watch it.
Best regards,
Kendrick Allen
If you think Scorsese is making the same film over and over again you should read your missives! Really, same thing over and over again.
Bob Kranes
Wow. You nailed this one Bob. I guess you won't be added to the Oscar hyping newspaper ads calling it a masterpiece. Despite the great visuals, expensive production values, and terrific casting, the story falls flat,and has too many holes. No matter how great the acting is it can't carry a 3 and 1/2 hour movie. Two fun surprises in the cast we're Stevie Van Zandt lip sycning Jerry Vale and Sebastion Maniscalco, the comedian playing convincingly a scary Joey Gallo. If it wasn't for Netflix spending this would never have been made. Alan Segal San Diego
100% with you on this one Bob. Collectively the acting is great but who would expect less from an ensemble that includes DeNiro, Pacino, Pesci & Keitel. The story is flat despite the Scorsese touch (and according to some well-known sources, bullshit... Frank Sheeran was a wannabe at best). The trailer had me psyched, but I bailed last night at 1:35 to go to bed and might get to the remaining 1:55 tonight or tomorrow. No tension. No stickiness. No arc. Like finally getting the dream girl into your bedroom and falling asleep without any of the anticipated joy. Sad.
Sal Dickinson v Agree! twitter.com/erinbiba/status/1200591945451671553?s=21
(Ok so...I thought The Irishman was basically boring and the same movie about white men being shitty people that Scorsese has made a thousand times. The storyline with his daughter could have been interesting and unique but women barely speak in any of these movies so ¯_(?)_/¯
Colleen Kenny
I went home after Thanksgiving dinner at my mother'in'law's house and found "The Irishman" on Newflix and watched the movie. (Full disclosure) I am a big fan of The Godfather series (I,II,III) and ALL of Martin Scorsese films. I thought it was just great and gave a "closure" to the Jimmy Hoffa question. In reading your "review" it is apparent you enjoyed the performances of the actors and I really thought in a way you did NOT feel you wasted three hours. For me it was a great way to finish off the Thanksgiving day - food, football & The Irishman! You are still my favorite morning read! Happy holiday Bud Becker
Out here in the sticks of Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, my wife and I watched The Irishman the night it dropped on Netflix. Even though I do not disagree with several of you points. I loved it. I felt I was in the hands of a master, several masters, really.
We watched it in one sitting. OK, I did take one pee break, but I turn 68 tomorrow!
Cheers,
Morley Walker
I respectfully disagree with your analysis of The Irishman.
Doug Deutsch
It played the Circle Cinema in Tulsa, OK
Randall Cale
Your review of the "The Irishman" is so on point!!! I felt disappointed with the story as well, but loved Pesci and Pacino’s performances! Thank you for breaking it down and articulating my feelings about the film and the performances into the perfect words.
Keep up the great work with your articles as I always love reading them.
Kelly Sajda
Agree Bob the ending sucked
John Green
I saw "The Irishman" in a small theatre here Burlington ON. everyone in the theatre started laughing during the "you people" scene. Not sure if this news made it down to you - the firing of a Canadian TV personality over his "you people" comment - youtu.be/6z_T7ONUlJ4 The firing was big national news here in Canada, so it was a pretty ironic scene in the movie.
Mark Watson, Artist Manager WATSON ENTERTAINMENT
The acting was fabulous, it was too long to play in theatres but on Netflix it was great, but I do agree with you, it should have been a mini series.
Ozark was horrible the second season, I made two episodes and turned I off.
Scorsese is a master at making movies, Francis Coppola no longer makes any, so anytime Scorsese does, I'm there.
LaBeets
It's hard to believe we watched the same movie. I guess you went looking for Godfather IV, but this movie is not a gangster movie.
It's not a movie about the mafia, it is about men growing old, then growing very old. The arc of the movie is like the arc of life at the end of life, not like a Godfather plot. The pace and arc of the movie is the pace and arc of death.
The Irishman is an exploration of death in every sense of the word. It's about coming to terms with the concept of sin as we reach our own deaths. We are not able to comprehend our own deaths except at the very end of very long lives. Scorsese explores this in ways I have never seen before.
The movie begins with DeNiro (the Irishman) asking why German soldiers would dig their own graves - and Scorsese stays true to that theme for 3.5 hours. We watch Jimmy Hoffa dig his own grave even though he does not have to. We watch DeNiro have to kill his lifelong friend and it's the only emotionally hard kill of his life. How can he do it? Because, just like those German soldiers, he knows that Hoffa has dug his own grave.
Peggy does not speak because, from her youngest days, she has always been as serious as death. Her father is death to her. Death does not speak.
We get to watch old actors that we've known all our lives give the performances of their live because Scorsese directed this movie to be 100% about their acting in the face of death. This movie is gold.
At least that is the movie that I watched.
Mark McLaughlin
I don't get it.
You missed a few points here. Scorsese was "forced" to go with Netflix because the studios wouldn't give him the funds for the CGI he wanted to use so the main characters could go back in forth in time and play themselves. True, not one his greatest, but an entertaining film. How can you say he makes the same damn film over and over again? There are a few in same genre maybe, but this isn't anything close to Raging Bull or Taxi Driver or Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore or The Last Temptation Of Christ. Scorsese grew up surrounded by these characters. You grew up in the white 'burbs... these movies are far from "absent the drama of real life" most of this shit really happened ! I grew up in Brooklyn in the '70's (around the time of Goodfellas) and we saw these guys all the time! One knows going in where this movie is going. IT'S THE STORY OF THE HIT ON HOFFA ! Wasn't Hoffa murdered? Doesn't/didn't the mob do "hits"? You mean to tell me you didn't know the mob killed Hoffa? Are you really that naive? Frank/DeNiro goes to the dark side because during those times in the big cities when your driving a meat delivery truck for a living and you're offered some cash to do some underhanded business deals "on the side" the dark side seems viable. (If you're a little nuts)
Frank didn't "paint houses" you missed that whole point ! Frank as mentioned drove a meat delivery truck ! "Painting houses" comes from the name of the book the movie was based on.... "I Heard You Paint Houses" by Charles Brandt and it's mob code so to speak for being a hitman. Frank painted houses with "blood" ... the blood splatter on the wall from his numerous hits. You missed that point.
Don't think in this day and age "The Irishman" would have been the story of the weekend regardless. Scorsese was forced to go to Netflix for the funds to get the movie finished. I honestly don't think he's was too thrilled with this avenue, but wanted to make this movie and his hand was forced. If it where up to him it wouldn't be on the small screen at all. This is a big movie and needs to be seen on the big screen. Really unfair to review based on watching at home on a monitor, no matter how big it is. How many times did you hit pause? This is total in theatre experience where one is totally focused and distraction free ! The problem here is that with someone as creative as Scorsese one needs to see these creations on the big screen in a movie house! You can't get the full effect of the Mona Lisa by looking at a pictue of it online can you?
Oh, by the way I'm 10 years past 50 a prostate cancer survivor and I made it all the way through seeing The Irishman in a great theatre in NYC !
Doug Pomerantz
Been reading you for 15 years, had a brief conversation then. You were very polite. I'm with you 99%...on other emails, you send out.
Martin Scorsese didn't get a weekend but he'll get his week at the Oscars for sure. This movie reminds me of Goodfellas minus the mania, booze, and soundtrack. It's a masterpiece to me. It does drag some in the middle. I'm 51 so I watched the news of Hoffa go missing but never knew anything other than Bobby went after him. Now I know HOFFA was a charismatic, confident and effect executive for the working man. And had 100% control over an unreal amount of money. Back then at least.
Wonderful to see Deniro and Pachino act and interact so much and so well together finally. That other one scene they shared way back seemed so stiff and plastic but a damn good marketing aspect. Burnt but not by this one. Not Scorsese's cinema.
Joe Pesci was amazing. He has it his gift if not better not available for 10 years.
From Raging Bull to Goodfellas to The Irishman, Pesci and Deniro, guided by Scorsces's genuis got it done. Those two actors rehearsed so much for so long it makes their lines carry weight and then know exactly how they need to quick of the ton. $150,000,000 was a good move for this. They will never recoup on the books but I think there is nothing of this level of competition this year. Cinema. I did not see Hollywood but will.
Netflix will get $300,000,000 is publicity when nominations get announced. I think Scorsese will win (even though Oscar voters are so a "gang that couldn't shoot straight" and do they have Netflix? I guess they'll be getting DVD/Blue Ray and 4k circles in the mail. Pesci deserves supporting especially after a DECADE. You say Pacino I sa Deniro...give them a co-win!! The only way to see it will be Netflix for a long long time and there is no other cinema that can compete. I had a better time at ENDGAME but this is good old fashion acting, directing, screenwriting and having a great crew. It'll have me pay attention to the Oscars this year.
One last thing, I only saw his Harrison documentary because of Nextflix and I have been a HUGE Beatles fan my whole life. Maybe heard about it and forgot but for 3:30 it is awesome because that is who in my mind I wanted they guy Harrison was. Ken Burns couldn't have done Harrison better. The Dylan doc was amazing, too!! Netflix is so worth $16/month. They were great 20 years ago and, with growing pains, changing the game take care.
Bob Stein
Bob, you are playing the short game, which is often what your column is most concerned with. What is going on now and succeeding and what are people are talking(texting, Tweating, etc) about. You know your topic well and your observations are often astute. It’s just that "The Irishman" is outside your comfort zone and it shows.
We are talking the long game here. Go back 50 years, go back to De Niro and Scorsese on "Mean Streets". Johnny Boy throws a cherry bomb into a mailbox and we like him are off and running. Remember everyone in the neighborhood is out to beat the shit out of him and yet he gets out of the car and dances to Micky’s Monkey because….Because…... Who wouldn’t, it’s a great song.
Travis Bickle showed us the soul of all this lonely empty men who want to have meaning and purpose and now cause tragedies every fucken week. I dare you to find me a Director who does not respect Taxi Driver.
Raging Bull- The most intense song of blind aggression you ever heard- go pick one, does it measure up to this movie.
Or how about a Gangster movie that flows and plays like a musical Comedy- Good Fellas. trailersfromhell.com/goodfellas/
Do you want the ugly beauty of Las Vegas explained to you? Casino. And on & on, hey Scorsese is not your precious Eagles but he has rocked it longer and harder. Is it all perfect no, but check out “She Was Hot/Down the Line”, in "Shine a Light" and feel what Real Rock n Roll said too us in 1965 and on the day that was filmed. You are always making those kinds of comparisons.
So he’s got 50 years as one of the preeminent Artists in Film History (Film Preservation, Rock Documentaries, Concert Performance Films and more DVD commentaries than imaginable) He is St. Marty of the Cinema, and you are not thrilled with The Irishman and prefer "Ozark" which ia a very good show that I never miss, but it’s just that, a very good show for 2 seasons.
Remember now, we are talking the long game, LIFE & the art you make out of it. Does he hit the same tropes for you too many times?
"A director makes only one movie in his life. Then he breaks it up and makes it again." ? Jean Renoir.
So did Howard Hawks-sometimes word for word, Hitchcock, John Ford and speaking of Mr. Ford- The Irishman is Marty’s "Man Who shot Liberty Valence". Or for that matter it’s also a summation like "Renoir’s French Can Can".
Yeah, I hear you, not enough buzz, not that much fun for 3 hours and 30 minutes. These old men take us to the end of life, unflinching, sad for the dying and fearful for all of us, no matter what our power over others was in life. How many rooms did they paint?
Scorsese’s characters have understood that ":The full moon is calling, the fever is high And the wicked wind whispers and moans. for his Auteurist life time :………..wasn’t Mean Streets originally called "Season of the Witch." So how about some deeper thoughts and respect. Scorcese, De Niro, Pesci, and Pacino have earned it.
Heres a reason why I am so worked up about Marty and his life of film: trailersfromhell.com/last-waltz/
Allan Arkush
Stick to music
Roger Friedman
Submitted December 01, 2019 at 05:37AM by Merdygerf https://ift.tt/2R8TLMu
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