Extremely well made, but very familiar

Rating: 7/10 (16 November 2019)

The Irishman is undoubtedly a very well-made piece of cinema, but it's one that stays within its box and fears to try anything truly new. It's a Scorcese Mafia movie, and from that simple description you can envision quite accurately the entire film. All the classic locations and character archetypes are here, and much of the picture feels like a team of highly skilled filmmakers just going through the motions. Nevertheless, the director's expertise shines through in the smaller, self-contained scenes. Simple exchanges between characters about the most mundane things carry so much wit that they become more entertaining than any explosion or shootout. The energy and style are both there, but unfortunately the creativity isn't.