The Current Cinema: The Irishman (2019)
Directed by Martin Scorsese. Cast: Robert DeNiro, Al Pacino, Joe Pesci, Anna Paquin, Harvey Keitel, Ray Romano, Jesse Plemons, Stephen Graham, Katherine Narducci Jack Huston, Bobby Cannavale, Steven Van Zandt. Released November 27, 2019. Running time 209 minutes.
I'm remembering back in the 1980s when some friends and I put in a VHS tape of the 1941 serial "The Adventures of Captain Marvel" and binge-watched all 12 chapters. As well done as that serial is, it was still a difficult thing to slog through due to its seemingly interminable running time. We figured it was because that serial was meant to be watched at a chapter per week, not all at once. The entirety of that serial was 216 minutes, only 7 longer than "The Irishman," which remains compelling for its entire run time.
Martin Scorsese first laid down the foundation of his concept for the gangster drama with "Mean Streets" in 1973. That film was the template for every crime drama film that came along since; an even greater influence than "The Godfather" would be on HBO's "The Sopranos." It is certainly the harbinger for Scorsese's masterpiece "GoodFellas" and near-masterpiece "Casino."
"The Irishman" is initially, as a concept, an interesting exercise in movie trivia. It is another collaboration with Robert DeNiro, who is able to play as an old man, a culmination of sorts. Al Pacino is working with Scorsese for the first time, being cast as Irish-German union leader Jimmy Hoffa. And Joe Pesci was coaxed out of a 10 year retirement to make just one last film, and not only is he at his most subdued, he turns in what might be the finest performance of his long career.
While there is a consistent narrative, "The Irishman" does not follow a linear structure. It jumps to flashbacks, returns to modern settings, and jumbles its history, but it never prevents us from fully understanding the well-drawn characters. Scorsese remains a master of the tracking shot, changing course within the same frame. He also instinctively knows just how long to hold his shots for maximum impact. It is his pacing of the script that causes it to remain interesting and involving for its entire 3 1/2 hour duration.
But it is the performances that truly resonate. Scorsese allows for the actors to convey their strongest emotions without dialog and with minimal movement and expression. Pesci, especially, is pure nuance as he exhibits a brilliantly reproachful expression that displays more information to the viewer than pages of dialog. Usually manic and unbridled when playing his characters, Pesci's performance here is anchored and unflinching, owning every scene with an imposing presence despite his small stature. It is, quite frankly, the finest acting the man has ever done.
Al Pacino completely envelopes himself in the Hoffa role, nailing his voice and mannerisms, and comfortably assuming the labor leader's emotional outbursts and jittery reactions. In a career that is dotted with landmark films, Pacino offers further indication that his work as an actor is hardly finished.
Robert DeNiro can be quite maddening to those of us who appreciate great cinema. His career is filled with memorable performances in many great movies. But he too often shrugs off his ability with insipid drivel like "Meet the Fockers" and "Dirty Grandpa." However, when he has a director the caliber of Scorsese, Leone, or Coppola, he'll rise to the occasion as he does here. His phone call to Hoffa's wife might be the finest scene the actor has ever played.
Supporting performances include familiar actors like Ray Romano (effective in a serious role), Anna Paquin (brilliantly understated and a haunting presence throughout), and Harvey Keitel (who resonates effectively with limited screen time).
While Scorsese's movies are notably devoid of fancy technology, this time he uses a de-aging process to make his actors look younger in the scenes set earlier. It impressively allows Pacino to look like he did around the time of "Scarface" and DeNiro appear as if he just finished filming "King of Comedy." While this technology is something used to enhance and not on which one should rely, it is used to its best advantage here.
Earlier in this review, "GoodFellas" was referred to as filmmaker Scorsese's masterpiece. And it was, until the release of "The Irishman." In an era where films are manufactured rather than created, where form-over-substance special effects extravaganzas are defining the era's movies; a film like "The Irishman" emerges like an oasis in the desert. A brilliant example of storytelling on film, it will continue to be examined and appreciated long after the last CGI light has been extinguished.