Falling short ..

Rating: 6/10 (12 August 2003)

This film was saved from the toilet by the ever present net we call Lewis. A Scorcese favorite. Out of all the characters, I found Bill to be of the most intrigue. I wanted to know his life, his hardships. Lewis did an excellent job in portraying a man who worked from the foundation up. A man with honor, and morals amongst men. Sure he may have flown off the handles at a few points, but look at some of the other sides of it. I mean, the Irish finally have their candidate for Sheriff, and yes Bill does do the foolhardy thing by calling on him to fight. So Monk goes on out there and instead of just asking him to come up and talk, makes this huge appeal to the entire city. This scene was vomitorium material, and instead of feeling for he plight, it made me think of what an a$$ he looked like up there. No wonder Bill snuffed him. I didn't feel any amount of pity for DiCraprio at all. To me, Amsterdam was some kid that'd been away for so many years to come back to a world he barely knew. A fight he had never experienced. Cameron Diaz ... well, I didn't much notice her in the film. I didn't know her story much, and I just thought she was lucky Bill was puttin up with her blonde headed ways. Liam Neeson, in his brief moment, was as always, a master at his craft. He is always a man to carry a tall, respectable presence in a film.
To boil it all down, this film carried Lewis to new levels, meanwhile leaving all the other actors/actress' behind in the annoying cloud of flamboyance which made this movie reminscent of old Broadway. Gay Broadway. Nothing against either, but they remain on the stage. This was a set oriented piece which was more interested in drawing a viewer into the "slang" and the material objects, then the actual story. Story first, costuming second in my belief. Summing it up, I give Gangs of New York a 6/10. Interesting enough to keep me watching, much to annoying to see again. Let's hope Martin scores big next summer. I'd certainly love to see a Goodfellas for our generation.
-J-Go