quite good, although misses great

Rating: 7/10 (12 May 2004)

I'm surprised at how hostile some of these reviews are, but truthfully I often react strongly to Scorsese films, either loving them (Taxi Driver, After Hours), hating others (the incomprehensibly acclaimed Raging Bull). My opinion of this one isn't that forceful, but I thought it was an entertaining movie. Daniel Day-Lewis, who I consider overrated, is absolutely terrific, as is Jim Broadbent (as Boss Tweed), and DiCaprio and Diaz are both much better than I would have expected, giving effective performances. It is stylishly made and keeps your interest, and the recreation of the draft riots is appropriately chilling.
I do think as history the movie is a bit of a cheat. The movie is quite forthright in its depiction of anti-Irish sentiment but shies away from confronting the racism of the Irish, which wouldn't have seemed so blatantly wrong if that hadn't been a central component of the draft riots. Scorsese seems to have wanted something morally unambiguous, but if he wanted that I think he chose the wrong moment in history for it.