One of the Best Films of the Year

Rating: 9/10 (29 November 2019)

Martin Scorsese's "The Irishman" is more than a movie - it's an event. In assembling the greatest actors of his generation, and the best "de-ageing" effects that modern technology has to offer, Scorsese has crafted an epic meditation on violence, guilt, and the role of organized crime in American history. This movie is a once in a lifetime experience that I doubt will be repeated ever again. At 3.5 hours "The Irishman" is long, probably too long. But it's always entertaining thanks to an outstanding screenplay by Stephen Zaillain (of "Schindler's List") and of course the phenomenal cast.
Everyone from Joe Pesci to Ray Romano and Anna Paquin delivers a perfect performance, but the movie belongs to De Niro and Pacino. It goes without saying that these are two of the greatest actors alive, yet for the past twenty years their movies have dramatically declined in quality. (I mean seriously: who thought making "Dirty Grandpa" and "Jack and Jill" was a good idea?) But in "The Irishman" they're at the best they've been since "Heat" in 1995. The decision to cast them was a masterstroke: De Niro owns the role of a quiet but ruthless hit man, while Pacino creates a vibrant, charismatic, yet fatally flawed Jimmy Hoffa who we know is doomed from the start. I tend to shy away from making Oscar predictions, but Pacino is my personal choice for Best Supporting Actor of 2019.
The Oscars have never been friendly to Martin Scorsese. But it will be hard for the Academy to snub him again for "The Irishman." Scorsese revisits his signature themes of family, loneliness, and guilt while making something refreshingly new. Unlike "Goodfellas" and "The Wolf of Wall Street" that are aggressive and fast-paced, "The Irishman" is slow, thoughtful, and ultimately different from what has come before. While many older filmmakers have seen their relevance diminish with time, Scorsese has updated his distinctive style for a new era of online streaming and I loved every minute of it. Beautifully shot, written, and acted, "The Irishman" is a deeply profound and highly engaging movie that's one of the year's very best. 9/10.