The Irishman

Die Gewerkschaften versus die Regierung in Amerika in den 70er Jahren ist nicht gerade etwas, was mir Spaß machen würde. Dank der schwungvollen Erzählung und der spannenden Darstellung der Welt der Mafia ist es aber fast so ein Knaller wie GoodFellas - Drei Jahrzehnte in der Mafia. Zusätzlich bewegt man sich hier viel höher, es geht um die größten Bosse der US-amerikanischen Mafia in der gegebenen Zeit. De Niro hat hier mit dem künstlichen jungen Gesicht und den alten Augen die schwierigste Aufgabe. In der ersten Hälfte muss man sich an die Digitalisierung gewöhnen. Seinen Killer spielt er traditionell – wie wir ihn von ähnlichen Rollen kennen. Pacino ist origineller, Hoffa stellt er exzentrisch dar, mit einem politischen Enthusiasmus, einem riesigen Stolz und moralisch reinsten Absichten von der ganzen Gruppe. Die markanteste Schauspielleistung des Films. Für mich war aber das größte Vergnügen Pesci, ein leiser Typ, der über Leben entscheidet. Aus einem apathischen Verrückten mit einem Messer in der Hand (GoodFellas - Drei Jahrzehnte in der Mafia) zu einem mega einflussreichen Spieler mit Gefühl für das Mafia-Schachspiel, auf den sich alle Seiten verlassen können. Bravourös in jeder Szene. Keitel bekommt sehr wenig Raum, aber dafür hat er die Rolle von einem der damals meist respektieren Bosse. Regie-Trademarks, die noch mehr hervortreten, wenn man sich den Film mehrmals ansieht. Die Höhepunkt-Szene lässt das Blut in den Adern erstarren, keine spannende Musik, aber ein absurder Dialog über Fische. Die Länge stört überhaupt nicht. Dieses "Roadmovie“ ist ein nostalgisches Vergnügen, bei dem man Martys einzigartigen Stil und legendäre Schauspielinteraktionen genießt, wie man sie in keinem weiteren Film mehr erleben wird. (30.11.2019)

When, after roughly two hours, The Irishman stops switching between the two narrative lines and three different time planes that together set the film’s rhythm, it becomes clear that the wedding was not actually the primary destination of Frank’s journey. At the same time, one important character from Frank’s past comes into the road-movie framework. Contrary to the custom of accelerating the pace as the end approaches, the film slows down and becomes more focused, no longer engaging in a series of diversions and jumping between numerous people and events. We realise that the memory of a given event is of fundamental importance for Frank and he wants to recount it in as much detail as possible, step by step, minute by minute. Thanks to the context provided by the previous two hours, we concurrently comprehend what this is leading to and what the individual characters are experiencing. We start to understand that Frank had merely been carrying out another one of his missions, which usually ends with a house getting painted. ___ In the first narrative line, Frank is in the final phase of his life, just before his death. In the other, he is heading toward death. It seems that all of the events in his life involve death and dying in some way. The detached approach to killing well demonstrates Scorsese’s departure from the more dynamic style of his earlier mafia films. In The Irishman, violence is not “cool”; sometimes we don’t even see it, we only hear it from a distance. If an upbeat song is playing in the car during one of the murders, that is only because the driver turned on the radio to drown out the death rattle of the strangled victim. ___ Frank's blackened conscience, a reminder of his sins and the incompatibility of violent behaviour with the feeling of having a safe home, is represented by his daughter Peggy, thanks to whom we realise that Frank fills his emotional emptiness with words and diverts attention from his inner self to the outside. Though Frank’s relationship with his daughter may seem to be of secondary importance in the context of a story in which people die, cars explode and mobsters bribe top politicians, it is that relationship which best describes how Frank feels and what he longs for above all else: to go out into the world reconciled with himself and with his loved ones. Despite first appearances, the core of the film thus does not represent Frank’s involvement in the structures of the Italian-American mafia and trade unions, but what he lost due to his career advancement. Civil dialogue and time spent in the family circle appear to be more important than a detailed description of the underworld and a factual depiction of Frank’s work processes. Rather than an epic mafia saga, The Irishman is primarily an intimate drama about dysfunctional relationships and the constant presence of death, the basis of which we always carry within ourselves (as we realise thanks also to digitally rejuvenated acting veterans). 95% (15.01.2021)

I’m sorry, but with this film I have the same problem as with almost every gangster movie focused exclusively on the mobsters. When the efforts of detectives or courts to break the gang get some space (like in this year’s The Traitor or in Scorsese’s The Departed), I’m fine with it, but I hate to watch the fates of characterless, arrogant assholes whose actions, though not directly glorified by the film language, are presented as something cool that should “entertain” the viewers. More so when the main character, besides not having any character, also lacks any interesting qualities; and more so when it has an unreasonable four-hour long run. The Irishman is well made, I guess, and it will satisfy the fans of mafia opuses, but I couldn’t get anything out of it. The plot wasn’t interesting (moreover, despite a number of flashbacks, the conclusion is very predictable), I couldn’t even find any formal pearls, because, other than the digital deageing (that works so-so), there aren’t any. I didn’t find a single interesting scene that could be somehow formally attractive. In short, I only watched it out of respect for the gentlemen behind it, thanks to which, the last hour and a half or so is a little more interesting than the rest. But, even though I subscribe to the words that Scorsese addressed at Marvel, the sad truth is that I would rather watch again the last Avengers than The Irishman. (28.11.2019)

There isn’t a more suitable and meaningful ending to one era of directors like Martin Scorsese and actors like Robert De Niro, Al Pacino, Joe Pesci or Harvey Keitel. It was really nice that all of the above mentioned had a chance to say farewell to the gangster-movie genre with a movie like The Irishman. Nowadays, gangster movies are rare. But as one of the few directors, Martin Scorsese has a patent to such movies, and therefore he precisely knew what he was doing. And of course he pulls you in and doesn’t let go. Still, 209 minutes is 209 minutes. Moreover, same parts are very nostalgic and melancholic, which had to be taken into consideration. The theme is good, but not good enough for me to rate it with 5 stars, as there had been more essential pieces of this genre in the past. Moreover, this movie brought a novelty – digital alteration and rejuvenation of some actors – which takes some getting used to and always makes me lament that it is not possible to stop the flow of time. I really like those actors so for me to see the differences in their appearance wasn’t something I wanted to see. According to my expectations, The Irishman is a good movie. Maybe a bit too classical for a gangster-movie genre with little action and way too long, but it brings you back to the era that all of those who watched The Irishman partly out of nostalgia simply liked. (31.12.2019)

Martin Scorsese delivers the ultimate gangster film, letting the legends of the cast shine with rejuvenated faces, but also switching directorial styles in a way he probably could never get away with in the cinema. The Irishman can be fast and riveting, but also slow, talky or surprisingly emotional. Scorsese didn't have to compromise this time, and it's definitely worth seeing what he can deliver when he's given a lot of money, a dream cast and a free hand. Still, it might have been a good idea to have someone at his back to at least tactfully point out the moments when his big film drags a bit. (28.11.2019)

Ein moderner Klassiker, etwa? Vielmehr handelt es sich um eine meisterhaft eingeplante Wunschgeste, die in einer Zeit stattfindet, als Scorsese eine völlig anachronistische Debatte über Hoch und Tief auslöst. Der Film selbst basiert auf der Verwendung von Technologien, die weitgehend von Disney (TRON: Legacy) und Marvel etabliert wurden, und auf dem robusten Grundriss von Zailians Drehbuch aufbauen, das zwar auf opulente Art und Weise alles erzählt, sich jedoch der Tiefgrüngdigkeit der Charaktere wenig widmet. Somit avanciert De Niros Sheeran zu einem solch statischen und sich langsam verändernden grausamen Berg an CGI-Fleisch, und seine pikareske Reise durch die Geschichte des mafiakalen amerikanischen Gewerkschafts-Verkehrs zieht sich dahin, wie der Gang eines alten Mannes. Die Dreißigjährigen bewegen sich wie Achtzigjährige und gewissermaßen charakterisiert gerade dies die Essenz von Scorseses Werk, einer stämmigen, verkrusteten Professur, der es zwar weder an Eleganz noch lustigen Segmenten fehlt, die allerdings insgesamt eher wie ein Cinephile-Fetisch und ein Obelisk wirkt, mit welchem man die Vergangenheit verehrt. Zeitgleich passt dies jedoch sehr gut in das Netflix-Portfolio, wo eine fehlende strikte Dramaturgie mit einer robusten kreativen Vision verwechselt wird. Martin ist ein viel zu guter Regisseur, um einen zersplitterten Film zu drehen, jedoch anregend ist sein The Irishman genauso wie De Niros Gesicht, als dieser mitsamt einer kümmerlichen, unabsichtlichen "Call Of Duty"-Paraphrase Blei in deutsche Gefangene hineindonnert. Meines Erachtens nach schwankt dies am dünnen Cringe-Grat entlang. (07.12.2019)

As much as I love gangster movies, I'm not too happy with Irishman. Martin Scorsese returns to the genre that made him famous and assembles together a cast of mafia legends, but he fails to draw me into the plot at all. I enjoyed the first hour, where Robert De Niro gets into the gangster underworld as an assassin, but once Al Pacino showed up, the film stopped being all that interesting. I was disappointed that there were no shootouts and even the few murders looked pretty unnatural. I wasn't too interested in the plot, the dialogue had nothing to engage me, it's not suspenseful or tense either, so I really don't know where to look for plus points. I'd rather watch Scarface again, but at least I didn't suffer like I did with the new Tarantino film. 6/10. (01.12.2019)

Once upon a time in the unions. Just as Sergio Leone has his dollar trilogy, Martin Scorsese now has his mafia trilogy, and I finally got to see its culmination at a time when I simply wasn't expecting it anymore. The youngest brother of The Godfather and Goodfellas arrived just when the deserving creator is close to eighty and boldly shows skeptics that age is just a number. Frank Sheeran's story is more nostalgic than the two aforementioned pieces, it doesn't need as much help in the format and imagery of the individual events, it simply sails, recounts, and reminisces for about three and a half hours, recalling things that are not easy to remember. He introduces a hundred and one supporting characters with removal, only to effortlessly run chills down our spines during a title pause with their fate. And in the midst of it all, the royal trio of Robert De Niro, Joe Pesci, and most of all Al Pacino remains, in incredible acting performances as legends at the twilight of their careers (for Pesci, even after its actual end), savor the most passionate of arguments and subtlest of nuances. I knew this journey would be about murder, the mafia, politics, and courtroom drama, but I didn't expect it to be so precisely about aging and the transience of each life, when the most important things are precisely those that have irreversibly disappeared. (27.11.2019)

While I was watching it, I felt like I had aged about 10 years. The Irishman really made a perfect gerontocratic impression on me. Normally, American films are tailored to the audience that is willing to come to the movie theater, i.e., the younger generation, while this one targets more so the older folks who have seen Scorsese's mafia classics. Although I like the entire cast, which I hope Scorsese gathered for the last time, I feel like this memorial was no longer necessary. The film is long-winded, artificial, and lacking in refinement. Aside from the unnatural de-aging, which only works partly because the walking and gestures give away a lot, there is nothing explicitly wrong with this film, but at the same time, there is nothing that you haven't already seen in Scorsese's work in a much better form. The positive reviews of the film, at least partially in my opinion, stem from the phenomenon of the "Lifetime Achievement Oscar." I watched the film without enthusiasm and had to abandon it tiredly after 30 minutes the first time. But giving it only two stars would be too little, Scorsese is too good of a filmmaker for that. And even with its insane duration, there are interesting cinematic moments here and there. Overall impression: 50%. (14.11.2020)

An unbelievably complex guide to the life of a person who has outlived everybody and is settling accounts of his life as the end draws near. The crème of the acting profession came together to film the long-postponed project I Heard You Paint Houses, led by the director eminently best suited to the task. Pacino gives a masterful performance as union boss Jimmy Hoffa, but Pesci’s return is a blessing for the entire film. The nuances, the faint hints, the one-liners delivered with zest… This is going to score a lot of Oscars. The digital effects are not perfect, but only seem to do harm to De Niro’s performance. But after a while you stop noticing. It’s such a good story. Definitely the film of the year. I chose us over him. (27.11.2019)

Classic in story, innovative in production, slightly controversial visually. You can still tell at first glance that it's good old Scorsese, but it doesn't have the zest and vitality of the 1990s gang. Watching four hours of digital De Niro is of course still easy, but only once, I'm afraid. (01.12.2019)

Seit Casino im Jahr 1995 habe ich keinen anderen Film von Martin Scorsese gesehen, der mich so gefesselt hätte wie The Irishman. Eigentlich könnte ich ruhig behaupten, dass er noch besser als Casino ist. Nach etwa zehn Minuten hatte ich überhaupt nicht das Gefühl, dass ich mir etwas Neues von Netflix anschaue. Ich hatte den Eindruck, dass im Fernsehen ein alter, guter, klassischer und ordentlicher Gangsterfilm läuft. Der Film verdankt es nicht nur den (ausgezeichneten) Tricks, welche die Schauspieler so glaubwürdig verjüngten, dass ich daran überhaupt nicht gedacht habe, sondern vor allem der ausgearbeiteten und hervorragend dargestellten Geschichte mit einer ausgezeichneten Regie. Scorseses schwarzer Mafia-Humor, Pacinos Temperament, De Niros Unberechenbarkeit und Pescis alles… Es ist eine Traumbesetzung in einem perfekten Film, die mit den Zuschauer*innen dreieinhalb Stunden das macht, was sie ihr erlauben. (28.11.2019)

Narratively speaking, the most remarkable film of the year. Scorsese is still a master of his craft, he connects each scene and time layer of this massive story in one smooth and consistent continuity. Thanks to this, a complex story with many characters and motifs from the ranks of the mafia and high politics doesn’t feel chaotic, on the contrary, from the first long camera ride onwards, it grabs you by the hand and never allows you to not get deep into the story of the protagonist – unlike Casino and, to some extent, Goodfellas, which are more about the world of those characters rather than the characters themselves, Irishman is a sincere and, by the end, painful confession of a man who lived, killed, followed orders and also felt. The end of an era that they love to relive in their older years, in an armchair and with a piece of bread soaked in fruit juice. The de-aging effect was alright and, more importantly, justified; the actors themselves, on the other hand, especially Pesci and Pacino, are as great as when they were at the peak of their physical strength. (24.12.2019)

Monumentální Filmbildung, die durch ihre immense Reichweite Martin Scorsese eine Botschaft an die Netflix-Zuschauer sendet, ihre Handys für ein paar Stunden beiseitezulegen und seine lang erwartete Arbeit vollständig zu beachten und die Psychologie der Charaktere gut wahrzunehmen und zu verstehen, die hier vor allem im Mittelpunkt steht. Innerhalb der imaginären Trilogie Mafiáni, Casino, Irčan ist gerade der dritte Teil, der politischste und am wenigsten brutale, immer noch beeindruckend und schicksalhaft. Eine zweite Betrachtung ist Pflichtzeit. (17.01.2020)

Martin Scorsese sure doesn’t skimp on the running time. The film wasn't uninteresting, the acting performances were (logically) up to standard, but I find that films about the Italian mafia seem to sort of blend together, including The Irishman. I'm glad I got to see it, but I don’t think I’d be excited to see it again (anytime soon). (15.08.2020)

I'm not naive or overly burdened with nostalgia (maybe a little), so I wasn't even hoping for a second Casino or Goodfellas. I just wanted a good movie that would be a tribute to living film legends and as such become the iconic swan song of one specific subgenre and one incredible cinematic generation. Unfortunately, The Irishman is a kind of polished turd in an aged and at times quite fragile package. All credit to Joe Pesci (imho he looks the most digitally touched up of the lot) and Al Pacino, without whom all of The Irishman would be pretty hollow even in terms of acting. I say this with a heavy heart, but perhaps my all-time favorite actor here plays a poor caricature of himself. I'll overlook now the fact that in some of the "touched up" scenes, Robert De Niro has dead eyes (because the digital rejuvenation is totally cool overall, so I won't pick this minor imperfection out of an otherwise functional whole). But the problem arises when he has to perform a rougher scene (it's most evident when he goes to defend his daughter's honor at the greengrocer's), because he really comes across as a wizened old man. Unfortunately, the disproportion between the digital facial rejuvenation and the worn-out body is most apparent in this scene. It just looks ridiculous and it's clear that de Niro just doesn't have it anymore. Sadly, I'll continue the hate, because even in terms of the direction (I really didn't expect I’d ever say that) this isn't much of a work. The film has no juice, lacks entertaining qualities with only complete exceptions, and is miles away from the lightness and predatory nature of Scorsese's previous mafia opuses. If I’m totally merciless, it's Silence drawn out by an hour, in which the theme of religion is swapped for that of old gangsters. Plus, when Robert De Niro shoots someone in The Irishman, it's always such a bland and flavorless mess. Thank God that there is still something of de Niro's charisma left and that in some passages the viewer can experience his typical grimaces, voice intonation, and nostalgic throwbacks to the old days. As a farewell to a fantastic generation of actors, it is unfortunately undignified, because at the end there is only the aftertaste of wasted potential and the immediate desire to fix one's appetite with those dense 90s opuses. Scorsese simply didn't make it past the mafia sub-genre, and he probably won't get a second chance. I'm slowly starting to dread what he'll come up with next after Silence and The Irishman. (02.12.2019)