Deeply Flawed, Deeply Moving - but SO Much Wasted Potential!

Rating: 6/10 (15 January 2003)

I finally convinced someone to go see "Gangs of New York" with me last night - and that in and of itself should have set off the radar. But it didn't... and I'm not at all sorry I spent money to see the film. It was, rather, a beautiful example of how even films that seem to have it all (brilliant director, wonderful star power, the largest budget imaginable, a year's worth of industry buzz, etc.) can still fail. This film, more than others which have achieved this sort of infamy, left me sad. After all, the story is truly Shakespearian, but a weak narrative line and some sub-standard editing in the opening and closing half hours limit the effectiveness of the movie severely.
Let's start with what I liked, though. First, STORY. I absolutely loved the idea of the film: the characters, the setting, the history (even if it wasn't all that accurate). I am Irish American, so that added personal level. The conflicts and relationships were also just wonderful. (Side Note: Isn't it funny how so many of the moving and wonderful films of this year explore father/son dynamics? In a year with so many strong showings by actresses, that is sort of ironic). Second, the acting. Daniel Day-Lewis was simply amazing, as always. Even Leonardo and Cameron, two thespians I have never taken terribly seriously, really proved themselves! All of the supporting cast just sparkled, too. Finally, the physical environment in which the film took place. The sets and the costumes really imparted the gritty reality of the time (something which is generally lacking in even the best period films). It lent the story gravity and realism, and perhaps even a little authority.
But all of these things could not redeem the film entirely. First, there was the editing (particularly, as I mentioned earlier, in the first and last half hours). I don't have a problem with story lines that are complicated, but there was no clarity, no direction. It wasn't entirely clear which story Sorcese was trying to telling, and that was frustrating. The draft riots weren't set up very well. I felt like the Civil War was a secondary parallel to the violence consuming the Five Points, and then suddenly (at the end) it eclipsed the other story ... there was simply no sense of priority. And, second, Amsterdam's voice-over monologues were simply odd. They didn't really sound like things his character would say (although many were beautiful, poetic, etc., he's street-wise and uneducated; they also simply didn't fit with the rest of his dialog). I was also under the impression that the voice-over came from the burial scene at the end, so it was only in the very recent past, which doesn't leave much room for him to educate himself to that degree. Third, there was gratuitous violence and nudity. Even for the sake of the realism which I treasured above, some of it seemed over the top. I especially resent this in so far as it takes away from other elements that were weak and turns off potential viewers. Some of it is most definitely necessary, but, once again, Sorcese needed to decide which elements were important and focus rather than trying to do everything and failing. (Note: This is especially inexcusable when one takes into account the amount of time he had to work on the film.) Finally, there was some pieces that didn't fit. For example, the music was entirely appropriate and wonderful ... except for the music during the first battle (modern synthesized crap). What was that? If the entire movie were in that style, it would have been okay. Since only that one scene was like that, however, it stuck out like a sore thumb. I felt the same way about the credits (I can't believe I'm complaining about the credits): the style simply didn't fit. Sorcese needed to take some hints from "Moulin Rouge" which was able to blend modern and authentic while maintaining internal consistency.
Overall, "Gangs of New York" is an experience operatic in nature: the characters are extremes, the emotions are extremes, etc. It contains all the elements filmmaking should, it is epic in every sense of the word, but it just doesn't come off entirely right. I enjoyed it, but I was also saddened by its missteps -