"I heard you paint houses." - A modern classic? I guess so!

Rating: 9/10 (5 February 2020)

Martin Scorsese's new film "The Irishman" is a little miracle in my eyes. The film is obviously very good, but what makes it so special for me are Robert De Niro, Al Pacino and even Joe Pesci: While Pesci has been retiring from the film business for nine years, De Niro and Pacino have been in a lot of trash recent years. In the past, they were legends and even today there are great actors slumbering in them, but what is missing are the right films and, the right directors such as Martin Scorsese, who still delivers great films at over 70 years old. It is remarkable that he brought these three old gentlemen together for his "Netflix"-film. Scorsese deserves great respect for that alone. But why is "The Irishman" so good on top of that?
The film deals with the story of Frank Sheeran, who immerses himself in the world of the mafia through the help of Russell Alberto Bufalino. It doesn´t take long, ´til he meets the union leader James Hoffa. Both Russell and Jimmy are almost like father figures for Frank. Fathers who demanded everything from him...
Based on the true story of Frank Sheeran (the "Irishman") and the book by Charles Brandt, Scorsese shot a three-and-a-half-hour gangster epic that is not a copy of earlier films by him, such as "Goodfellas" or "Casino". Scorsese does not focus on how "cool" the gangster life can be. We as viewers see a lot of the everyday life of Frank and Co, but that's exactly how it is with many mafia bosses and followers. The bloodshed, the killing, and all the other criminal things that go on there are an important part of it, but there's much more to that. And I love "The Irishman" for illuminating the quiet moments that you rarely see in these films. For a Scorsese film, "The Irishman" is very reserved, but no less powerful.
Sometimes I felt like I might have needed some background knowledge for the story, but in the end you understand pretty well what the film is about. The focus is also not on the political events in the film, but also on the characters and their relationships with each other.
De Niro, Pesci and Pacino are all great and it's just a dream to watch these legends together in a movie. The supporting roles are also wonderfully cast and well played, but I honestly don't expect anything else from a director like Scorsese. Like Tarantino, he can get so much out of every actor. But of course, the three gentlemen are the stars here and, in my eyes, celebrate their big comeback in a film that was made for them. De Niro convinces with his reserved, naive streak, Pacino is wild and his actions unpredictable and Pesci is the calm, loving but also highly dangerous man in the background. This combination justifies the film's long playtime. Of course, this is very high with almost three and a half hours (209 minutes), but firstly, Netflix naturally gives you the option to watch the film in episodes, and secondly, almost every minute in the film is valuable and important. I could hardly have imagined cuts now that I saw the film. And the time just flies by, but of course everyone can decide for themselves how they want to watch the film.
Robbie Robertson's soundtrack is strong, the song selection is also contemporary and the CGI effects, especially those used to digitally "rejuvenate" De Niro & Co, were really strong. It was recognizable here and there, but at some point, I didn't care due to the great story and the great actors. Some green screen-effects weren´t that convincing and the biggest problem with the effects is the movement of the actors. While their face is de-aged, there body speaks a different language, which was very noticeable in a "kicking scene" with De Niro. Yet it is amazing how much money this film cost and even more astonishing that "Netflix" financed it without hesitation. However, the end result speaks for itself.
Conclusion: "The Irishman" tells a well-known story and takes a look at it from a different side. Martin Scorsese stages everything so extraordinarily powerful and with attention to detail that I never really noticed the long running time. A masterful director, fabulous editing, great music and three great actors who are making their comeback and have made themselves even more immortal.