Martin Scorsese’s Irishman is a double bonus for all cinemagoers this year.
While Quentin Tarantino had already knocked it out of the park with Once Upon A Time In Hollywood, Martin Scorsese’s first collaboration with Netflix, The Irishman is also just around the corner. Fans of the director’s work are excited about his latest venture as it’s his first since 2016’s Silence. Scorsese seems to be back at his roots portraying the ruthless mob world of New York criminals with his signature style of showing violence. However, some are still sceptical if the rather ‘older’ leads would be able to carry the film all the way. Leaving the talented young brigade behind, Martin instead chose to work with Al Pacino, Joe Pesci and Robert De Niro for Irishman. Are these choices worth it? Will The Irishman prove to be their big comeback? Let’s find out.
Scepticism For The Irishman
In today’s times, great acting is defined by good looks and physical fitness. Gone are the days when all an actor was required to have was raw talent. And today’s generation has grown up watching and looking up to such “stars”. So doubting the mettle of the leads of The Irishman was natural for today’s cinemagoers. After all, if we look at the current track record of these actors, it’s anything but impressive. Robert De Niro’s successful film was Silver Linings Playbook way back in 2012 and none of his subsequent movies have been able to leave a mark on the audience since. As far as Joe Pesci is concerned, fans only remember him from Goodfellas, Home Alone and Casino (1995) and has never been able to break his typecasting of a trigger happy, short-tempered henchman.
He announced his retirement some three years ago after a series of debacles like Love Ranch. As for Mr. Pacino, well apart from the HBO drama film Paterno in 2018, Al’s choice of movies has not able to get a nod from critics whether it’s Misconduct, The Pirates Of Somalia or Hangman. One can’t help but think whether these 70 plus aged actors would have what it takes to portray such combustible characters with the required intensity. Granted, we agree on that. But let’s put some facts into perspective before start panning the director’s choice of the story and the actor he chose to bring it to life.
The Events Portrayed In Irishman
The Irishman follows the story of Frank “The Irishman” Sheeran as he recounts his alleged jobs as a hitman for the Bufalino crime family. The strange disappearance of the American Labor Union leader Jimmy Joffa was a piece of stunning news in 1975 and Sheetan. Along with Russell Bufalino of the infamous Bufalino Crime Family were constantly accused of having being involved in the case. It wasn’t until 2003 when Sheeran confessed to his crimes to acclaimed author Charles Brandt and admitted that he indeed was responsible for Hoffa’s murder.
A story so spine chilling requires a director who has the expertise of handling such stories. Scorsese’s Goodfellas also narrates a similar event in the mafia world. Plus, apparently, he has a thing for narration as most of his films have included a voice-over narration by one of the lead characters. Not to mention the grip he has on telling stories of the underworld which is quite evident from The Departed. There’s no shadow of a doubt that nobody except Martin Scorsese can handle such grim tale.
The Callibre Of The Cast Of Irishman
Let’s get the figures straight here. The film is the ninth collaboration between De Niro and Scorsese since Mean Streets. Al Pacino and Robert De Niro are going to appear together for the fourth time after Godfather Part II, Heat and Righteous Kill. It’s also the fourth film of De Niro with Joe Pesci and it’s the first time Al Pacino has been directed by Martin Scorsese. Besides, the three leads share a total of a whopping 18 Oscar nominations and 5 wins. Now that’s a credible resume! There’s no doubt that the actors have what it takes to carry a film of this magnitude.
And they’ve done this before. Don’t you remember Robert De Niro holding an epic film like Once Upon A Time In America? Or Al Pacino’s powerhouse performance in The Godfather Part II or Scarface? Or Joe Pesci’s “funny how?” The routine from Goodfellas? These fine actors have proven time and again that they are indeed able to make a film in a certain direction without much effort. Hence, the casting choices for The Irishman seem spot on.
Scorsese’s Vision For The Irishman
Martin Scorsese is a visionary filmmaker and is one of the most influential directors of modern cinema. A neorealist, Scorsese never had any formal training in filmmaking and instead gathered knowledge of the craft from the works of greats like Fellini. His depiction of violence and realism is considered bold and creative. Though historical drama and fantasies have been a part of Scorsese’s career as a director. His most notable works are crime films and psychological thrillers.
The ruthless mob bosses from Mean Streets, Goodfellas and Casino are still being used as case studies on how to show bloodshed effectively. The Irishman is the story of a corrupt politician linked with an infamous Mafia family. Based on actual events, the film looks promising in the trailer. Given the Media touch of Scorsese, the realism in actors and events would certainly be worth watching.
Our Final Word For Irishman
Us, being hardcore Scorsese fans can’t wait for November 2 for Irishman to be available on Netflix. Scepticism aside, watching Pacino, De Niro, and Pesci together for the first time would definitely be a delight to watch. It would be amazing to see such a dark story unfolding in front of our eyes by the hands of some of the greatest artists of all time.
