De Niro, Pesci, and Pacino in one film, Mesmerizing

Rating: 9/10 (29 November 2019)

Martin Scorsese, what hasn't been said about him. His career spans decades, he's made some of the greatest films of all time, the man is the last of his kind. With the Irishman, Scorsese has crafted a compelling chapter to his crime saga, a generation of actors used in an interesting and layered story about a man who played a big role in history, and has interacted with some of the most revered men and criminals of the 20th century. It's a fascinating story that flows elegantly through the tribulations and seedy underbelly of the mafia, and their interaction with the political landscape in the 60s era. The story particularly focuses on Frank Sheeran's relationship between the infamous teamster union boss Jimmy Hoffa and Pennsylvania crime boss Russel Buffalino. The film's giant runtime is expected to turn many movie goers off at 3 and a half hours, but the film has scenes that all feel integral to building up its dramatic finale. The performances from across the board are terrific. Pesci, De Niro, Pacino are legends, with many surprise cameos that also give terrific performances. While the de-aging can look weird at times, the talent on screen, the movies commitment to its world and characters make the film consistently riveting from start to finish.