Born in the streets

Rating: 9/10 (25 August 2013)

Gangs of New York takes a fascinating look at a largely forgotten slice of American history. As the film's tagline states, America was born in the streets. This is the tale of the 19th century Irish immigrants who came to New York City to build a new life for themselves and of the "Natives" who tormented them. Put "Natives" in quotation marks because they are not natives at all, their ancestors came over from Europe just as the Irish were doing now. But, led by the villainous Bill the Butcher, the Natives make life miserable for the poor Irish who are just trying to survive in New York's notorious Five Points slum. Bill the Butcher rules the Five Points with an iron fist, the Irish rally behind their own leader, Priest Vallon, to oppose him. The film opens with a battle in the streets, the Butcher's gang of Natives squaring off with the Priest's Dead Rabbits, his gang of Irishmen (and an Irish lady, the fearsome Hell-Cat Maggie). Carnage ensues, this is one of the most violent, blood-soaked scenes ever seen in any film. Brutal, raw violence, hand-to-hand combat which ends with Priest Vallon falling under the Butcher's knife. Young Amsterdam Vallon witnesses his father's death. He is sent off to the orphanage. He'll be back.
16 years pass before Amsterdam returns to the Five Points. It is now 1862, the Civil War now rages and that war will come to touch the city. But the story the film follows is not of the grand scope of the great war but a smaller, more personal tale of Amsterdam's quest for vengeance. But it is not as easy as just turning up in the Five Points and stabbing Bill the Butcher while he sleeps. Bill is the king of the Five Points and you kill a king where everyone can watch him die. Amsterdam makes plans to kill the Butcher at the annual commemoration of the victory of the Natives over the Dead Rabbits. But that is months away. In the meantime Amsterdam falls under Bill's sway, rising to become the right-hand man of the unwitting Butcher who does not know the young man's true identity. Eventually the time will come when Amsterdam must make his move. And then things will explode.
While the tale that Martin Scorsese tells here is a highly fictionalized account of what went on in the Five Points it is still a very worthy look at that unique time and place. The main storyline here may seem to be just a simple revenge story but there is so much else swirling around. Amsterdam and Bill the Butcher are not the only characters who have their own stories to tell. But it is the confrontation between those two characters which is at the heart of the film. That confrontation is made all the more fascinating by the fact they spend so much of the film as allies, Bill treating Amsterdam quite ironically almost as a son. Knowing Amsterdam's ultimate intentions you almost feel sorry for the Butcher. Almost. Because it is hard to generate true sympathy for this villainous, murderous man. An amazing character brought to life in a tour de force performance by Daniel Day-Lewis. Day-Lewis plays the part with white-hot burning intensity. It would be a challenge for any actor to match him but Leonardo DiCaprio proves up to the task in the role of Amsterdam.
The brilliant performance of Day-Lewis is the best thing the film has to offer but there is much more here to catch the eye. DiCaprio is excellent as well and a fine cast of supporting players chip in splendidly. Most notable are Brendan Gleeson as another Irishman who will cross the Butcher and Jim Broadbent as the gleefully corrupt Boss Tweed. John C. Reilly, Henry Thomas, Liam Neeson and a host of lesser-known performers help to bring the Five Points to life. Perhaps the only misstep is Cameron Diaz who never entirely convinces in her role of a woman caught between Amsterdam and the Butcher. Diaz is not awful by any means but her performance just seems off a bit, she never quite seems to fit the role. Another issue comes with the film's ending, the sense that the climax doesn't quite match the epic opening. But these are only minor quibbles with a generally excellent film. Scorsese tells his fascinating story well, eventually weaving the larger war story into the mix. We see not just a personal battle between two men but ultimately a nation indeed being born in the streets. Visually the film is a masterpiece, Scorsese filling the frame beautifully. The bloody opening battle sets the tone for both the film's story and its look. The story holds your interest throughout and the look of the piece is just remarkable, the Five Points brought to brilliant life. This is a story which demanded to be told and that story could not have been placed in any better hands than those of Scorsese. This film does justice to those history has largely forgotten, those who through their working, living and dying built America.