‘The Irishman’ proves some old dogs don’t need to learn new tricks

From legendary Director Martin Scorsese is the newest epic crime drama, “The Irishman.” The film tells the shockingly true story of Frank Sheeran, a truck driver turned hitman who slowly starts to climb up in the world of organized crime, eventually becoming involved in the messy life of union leader Jimmy Hoffa.

To say that Martin Scorsese has left an impact on the industry would be a gross understatement. From being amongst the influential directors to reinvent the Hollywood landscape during the 1970s with his works such as “Taxi Driver” and “Raging Bull” to his highly acclaimed crime epics of the 1990s such as “Goodfellas” and “Casino” to the wide array of hits from this decade such as “Hugo” and “The Wolf of Wall Street,” Scorsese has maintained a consistently strong filmography long after most directors would have worn out their welcome. And with his newest film, this winning streak continues.

“The Irishman” sees Scorsese and his rich pool of talent take this tale in stride to tell a story that illustrates the balance between power and humanity. The source material is treated with the unflinching nature it deserves, but not in a manner that many other directors would treat it. Despite a solid amount of expected violence, the film is surprisingly quiet and restrained in its direction that may catch some by surprise who are expecting an experience more in line with the bombastic nature of “Goodfellas.”

Yet this reflective nature never hurts the film. Despite its intimidating three and a half hour runtime, the movie paces itself out nicely so that its audience can get into the mindset of the characters and truly digest the emotional heft of their journey. Even moments of shocking violence are done so in a way that leaves time to breathe and take in the effect it has on those in the film.

As one can imagine, a large reason as to why the film works is due to its outstanding cast. The main three juggernauts who run the show, Robert De Niro, Joe Pesci and Al Pacino, are utterly unbelievable, giving some of the best performances of the year. Pesci’s performance as mob boss Russell Bufalino is chillingly calculated, playing a role that brings out much of the unapologetically cold nature of the film to light. Al Pacino, on the other hand, gets the chance to let loose his ecstatic energy as Jimmy Hoffa, achieving a mix of over-the-top and unpredictability that feels appropriately balanced. Undeniably, it is De Niro who does the most heavy-lifting out of the cast. The magnificent actor melts into the role of Frank Sheeran, seamlessly selling the tragic nature of his story in a compelling and nuanced way.

Scorese’s craft as a filmmaker continues to be at an all-time high. The presentation reflects the film’s grounded nature while still highlighting the emotional state of the narrative, full of Scorsese’s signature rich lighting and stylish cinematography along with excellent production design that fills the time period with character. Scorsese’s long time editor Thelma Schoonmaker is at her best here as well. Her work here finds ways to communicate the narrative in some unexpectedly clever ways that help in building tension and atmosphere, with the last hour of the film being particularly well edited.

As for issues, the film suffers only from minor ones. The film’s techniques utilized to help deage many of its stars takes some getting used to, with some early uses of it in the film not being especially well lit or shot, giving way to the artifice to be on display. However, as the film progresses, thanks to better filming situations and the dedication of the actors, the technology is practically seamless. One subplot within the film regarding Sheeran’s daughter could have also benefited from being fleshed out more. The subplot had the potential to hanker down the film in more reliability, but didn’t get as much time dedicated to it as many of the other plot points of the film.

After working over 50 years in the industry, “The Irishman” is a testament to how Scorsese’s work continues to surprise audiences. Films with this kind of unapologetic beating heart are a rare breed nowadays, even in independent filmmaking. For anyone seeking to revert back to such days of such cinema experiences, then “The Irishman” is a gem more than worth your support.