Classic Mob Movie Based on Real Events

Rating: 8/10 (9 February 2020)

This was a movie we waited until the day before the Oscars to see on Netflix. It is an intimidating 3.5 hours in length. As another reviewed said, the first two hours went by pretty quickly but the last 1. 5 hours dragged. It would have been fairly easy to snip about thirty minutes off and still leave the story intact. De Niro gives a great performance as a real life hitman who gets caught between his allegiance to Jimmy Hoffa and the mob leaders who are distressed that their Teamster pension fund piggy bank leadership is starting to push back on their demands, and doing it is a public way. Some of the movie may be unintentionally funny, as the mob language has become cliche, and is emulated by a certain president of the United States. Think "Do me a favor." I had a harder time believing Al Pacino as Jimmy Hoffa because Hoffa was shorter and so well known that Pacino's mannerisms get in the way of a more nuanced performance. Hoffa comes across somewhat sympathetic as he realizes he has made a bargain with the devil in his dealings with the mob. This may be the last great gangster movie but what a way to go out, with a movie based on so many traumatic real life events. All of the major hits (whack jobs) were fairly famous at the time such as the killing of Joey Gallo at Umbertos Clam House and the assassination of several mobsters in a hotel barber shop. Pesci is also excellent as the world weary mob boss who know what he has to do to keep himself alive and get people to do his bidding. He genuinely likes Hoffa but finds it increasingly harder to defend him because of his outspokeness. Whether the movie correctly depicts what happened to Hoffa, it is certainly plausible and explains why Hoffa disappeared, never to be found. One apparent truism in mob movies is no one is whacked just for the hell of it and not until all other avenues have been exhausted. They also like to use go betweens when they are communicating with others who may pose a problem. The go between, in this case played by De Niro, has a delicate balancing act in translating the responses from the mob bosses and Jimmy Hoffa. He is the ultimate mob ambassador. This is a great move no doubt, but make sure you set aside an appropriate amount of time to leisurely take in some classic performances.