Snooze...

Rating: 6/10 (8 January 2020)

"The Irishman"
or
"Hit the snooze"
The problem in "The Irishman" is not in the acting; Pesci, DeNiro, and Pacino are all top form. The problem is not in the story itself, as the behind the scenes of Jimmy Hoffa and his cronies is an excellent premise. Where Irish falters is in screenplay and execution in direction. Bits and pieces of Scorcese's brilliance are there, but unfortunately they are few and far between. The soundtrack is brilliant as it matches the period, but there's little in terms of relating with the characters and the plot. The pacing is so bad and the characters are so one note, for at least the first 90 minutes, that you feel left out. The next 60 minutes move at a blistering pace, enjoyable at best, and the last 30 minutes are wasted on drawn out dialogue that leads to a far less desirable ending than expected. When Pesci is in, generally the film shines. Pacino and Deniro are best when they do not share the screen, as seen in "Heat," and "Righteous Kill." The Irishman is a wasted opportunity, and if you feel the need to see a film about Jimmy Hoffa, catch "Hoffa" with Jack Nicholson and Danny DeVito.
6/10