Legends back on form, yet it just doesn't all add up for me

Rating: 6/10 (12 November 2019)

It's a return to the tried & trusted formula for some of the greats of cinematic history. Scorcese directs in his familiar field of Italian American mafia & gangster life, and with Pacino, De Niro, Pesci and Harvey Keital all leading the film this is one of the most stellar casts of any film in many a year (if not ever). Ably assisted by more recent star names like Stephen Graham & Bobby Cannavale, it all bodes well.
For me, De Niro and Pesci are giving their best roles for many years, possibly could be Oscar nominations.
Yet I feel this just doesn't fully add up. So much good to say, in terms of direction, style, fashion, humour and realism but was quite self-indulgent, and Pacino was just faxing in the same shouty role he has done for years. The film is almost 3.5 hours long, and it feels like it, it could have been shortened without any loss.
The storyline drags, and I only found it at its best in two areas. One was the relationship between De Niro's character and his daughter Peggy, and then the last hour as all came together. However, there's a lot to get to these points, and I was engrossed yet not always engaged. It's a slow burn gangster film, more about corruption centring round union man Jimmy Hoffa. Maybe Americans will find this more appealing than non-Americans, as they can relate & understand the full underlying politics relating to the characters.
There is a lot of good to say, and Scorcese will have another hit on his hands. Recently he has criticised tent-pole films like the Marvel films for not being cinema, which is churlish. Cinema is a wide cross-section of story telling. Thankfully there is still room for films like 'The Irishman' but in truth I think it could have been just so much better. Not disappointing, just not a classic for me.