A Swan Song of Sorts

Rating: 9/10 (15 December 2019)

Martin Scorsese's movies often examine the lives of those involved in nefarious activity. Movies like Goodfellas, Casino, and The Wolf of Wall Street on first glance may seem like they are glamorizing the lifestyle of the gangster or the wall street banker. The appeal of these lifestyles is only part of the story, and there is always the eventual downfall. The Irishman may seem like a retread of movies such as Goodfellas and Casino initially, but it is a far different story. The Irishman examines Frank Sheeran, who was involved with mob activiy, a friend of Jimmy Hoffa and (allegedly) the man who killed him. The first 2 and a half hours run like any regular Scorsese gangster flick with the first person narration. The rest of the film deals with the inevitable, death. Being forgotten and becoming a relic of a certain era from a long time ago. There's a funny gag throughout the film where when characters shown up it's told how they die (most of the time it involves bullets), but beneath that it's a stark reminder of the frailty of the mafia business and what the inevitable cost of being involved is. Robert De Niro, Al Pacino and Joe Pesci are all great in this film. Al Pacino as Jimmy Hoffa is a larger than life character who is not afraid to go after what he wants, even if it eventually becomes fatal. If Joe Pesci is engraved in your mind as the hot head from both Goodfellas and Casino, then you should be pleased to know that Joe Pesci's character is the exact opposite in this movie. He is a quiet but strong mafia leader who delivers his message not through outbursts but through subtle glances and a calm demeanor.