Movies: Last Movie You Watched and Rate It | Part#: Some High Number +2

[OhCaptainMyCaptain]

The Irishman - 9/10

Epic! Now this is real cinema!

Jokes aside..... this was fantastic.

 

[Osprey]

The Irishman (2019) - 4/10 (Didn't like it)

This film follows the later career and life of Frank Sheeran (Robert De Niro), a Teamster employee and mafia hitman, as he works for and makes friends with Jimmy Hoffa (Al Pacino) and a high-ranking mobster (Joe Pesci). Based on Sheeran's autobiography "I Heard You Paint Houses," this film adaptation could've been named "I Heard You Paint Houses and Watch Them Dry" because the latter is what it was like sitting through this. Joking aside, it wasn't that bad, but that's because I had my laptop to do Black Friday shopping on while it played in the background. The fact that it never drew me in enough to give it my full attention for more than 10 minutes at a time is bad enough. I don't mind long films--I enjoyed Kenneth Branagh's 4-hour Hamlet in the theater once upon a time--but they have to justify the length. At 3.5 hours, this is at least an hour too long, maybe even an hour and a half. Even with the accounts that Sheeran seemingly made up to spice up his memoirs, this guy's life just wasn't remarkable or interesting enough for such a length, IMO. Also, it's filled with long conversations, often with little point to them. It's as if Scorsese decided that he didn't need an editor and would just use everything that he filmed because he could, thanks to Netflix.

In fairness, some of the film is interesting and you do learn some things about mafia and teamster culture. The acting is good, though you've seen De Niro, Pesci and Pacino plays these characters before, so to speak. In fact, throughout the film, I had a sense that I'd seen it all before. That's obviously the appeal here, that it's three of the greatest mafia film actors under the direction again by the modern maestro of mafia films. That wasn't enough for me, though, especially because I've never been a Scorsese fan, and this film was a reminder why. If you are a Scorsese fan, ignore this review and see the film now because you'll likely love it. If he's never really been your cup of tea, though, The Irishman is likely to do nothing to change your opinion.

 

[Trap Jesus]

I'm halfway through the Irishman right now, turned it off and will finish later on. Just painfully boring, although these movies are not my thing whatsoever. I really have nothing insightful to say about it at all, I just view all of these gangster movies through the same lens.

 

[kihei]

I'm disappointed you didn't like it more.

What I liked best... the ending.

Spoiler

Most writers/directors would force a crazy twist down our throats. Knives Out took the Occam's razor approach and I appreciate that.

I take your point, but that just made it easier for me to figure out who did it early.

Spoiler

Like, who else, right?

. While I enjoyed Knives Out, I think it took weightlessness to the point of total inconsequence, something that I never felt about Brick, say.

 

[Chaels Arms]

The Irishman (2019) - 4/10 (Didn't like it)

This should've been named "I Heard You Paint Houses and Watch Them Dry" because the latter is what it was like sitting through this. Joking aside, it wasn't that bad, but that's because I had my laptop to do Black Friday shopping on while it played in the background. The fact that it never drew me in enough to give it my full attention for more than 10 minutes at a time is bad enough. I don't mind long films--I enjoyed Kenneth Branagh's 4-hour Hamlet in the theater once upon a time--but they have to justify the length. At 3.5 hours, this is at least an hour too long, maybe even an hour and a half. Even with all of the made up accounts in it, this guy's life just isn't remarkable or interesting enough for such a length, IMO. Also, it's filled with long conversations, often with little point to them. It's as if Scorsese decided that he didn't need an editor and would just use everything because he could, thanks to Netflix.

In fairness, some of the film is interesting and you do learn some things about mafia and teamster culture. The acting is good, though you've seen De Niro, Pesci and Pacino plays these characters before, so to speak. In fact, throughout the film, I had a sense that I'd seen it all before. That's obviously the appeal here, that it's three of the greatest mafia film actors under the direction again by the modern maestro of mafia films. That wasn't enough for me, though, especially because I've never been a Scorsese fan, and this film was a reminder why. If you are a Scorsese fan, ignore this review and see the film now because you'll likely love it. If he's never really been your cup of tea, though, The Irishman is likely to do nothing to change your opinion. My impressions are obviously in the extreme minority and many will strongly disagree with this review, but, hey, someone has to represent the 14% (according to RT) who didn't like it.

Agreed with almost everything you said. I am a big Scoresese fan though and this was one of my least favorite movies by him.

DeNiro reminds me of the player character in GTA3. He just goes from point to point mindlessly following orders and killing people. If DeNiro didn't speak once in this movie the plot would have ended up going the same exact way. H

I found myself wishing they had just made a Jimmy Hoffa movie.

I really need to see Knives Out after reading some of the reviews in here.

 

[Trap Jesus]

Agreed with almost everything you said. I am a big Scoresese fan though and this was one of my least favorite movies by him.

DeNiro reminds me of the player character in GTA3. He just goes from point to point mindlessly following orders and killing people. If DeNiro didn't speak once in this movie the plot would have ended up going the same exact way. H

I found myself wishing they had just made a Jimmy Hoffa movie.

I really need to see Knives Out after reading some of the reviews in here.

I've only watched half of it so far so can't actually comment on more than I've seen but the fact that people are talking about DeNiro for best actor is legitimately mindblowing to me. He's such a nothing character.

 

[NyQuil]

I've only watched half of it so far so can't actually comment on more than I've seen but the fact that people are talking about DeNiro for best actor is legitimately mindblowing to me. He's such a nothing character.

I think he's a legitimately traumatized sociopath that frightens his family.

Their purpose I think is to be a mirror to let the audience know that this individual is not normal and that he might be an unreliable narrator. He tells the story in a manner that is based from his perspective, and it normalizes a lot of his activities and behaviour. Peggy's reactions to Russell compared with Jimmy add to that underlying dread.

DeNiro shows more range with Jimmy Conway in Goodfellas but again, that character apparently had more emotional depth (given his reaction to what happens to Tommy).

Frank is really only concerned with morality late in life, and even then, it's really more about being lonely than any kind of genuine remorse. We're left to wonder whether WWII exposed his true character or turned him into the man he is. He certainly uses it as an excuse or a rationale.

It's kind of a tough character to portray. DeNiro certainly has much less to work with than Pacino and Pesci despite the fact that he's literally on screen for almost the entire 3 hours 20 minutes.

It reminded me a lot of Jack Nicholson's performance in About Schmidt - where the absence of emotion is supposed to say as much as any real emoting would.

In general though, I agree that I'm not sure I think of it as an Academy Award winning performance.

 

[ORRFForever]

I take your point, but that just made it easier for me to figure out who did it early.

Spoiler

Like, who else, right?

. While I enjoyed Knives Out, I think it took weightlessness to the point of total inconsequence, something that I never felt about Brick, say.

Never saw Brick. Is it good? Do you have an old review?

My 2 cents :

This kind of movie is usually done once or twice a year - like you said in your review. And it is usually done poorly. Too many twists, too many turns, and an ending out of Left Field - all in the hope of SHOCKING the audience. I appreciate a movie that takes a different approach to the ending and finally puts a new spin on the whole "everyone could be the killer" thing.

For me, I really didn't care who the killer was. I loved how smart everyone was, their interplay, and it was still great to see that Don Johnson (my boyhood hero) is still handsome, even in his 70's.

 

[ORRFForever]

The Irishman: 8/10 maybe the best movie of the year based only on the acting performances: Pesci is great and Keitel, Pacino and De Niro are also very good.

I've heard from many people that Pesci steals the movie.

 

[NyQuil]

I loved how smart everyone was, their interplay, and it was still great to see that Don Johnson (my boyhood hero) is still handsome, even in his 70's.

He's a lot of fun in the Watchmen series. Just bursting with charisma.

I also liked his (brief) comedic turn in Django Unchained.

 

[OhCaptainMyCaptain]

I've heard from many people that Pesci steals the movie.

He's good. They're all good. But Pacino was actually the one that stood out the most to me.

 

[ORRFForever]

I've decided the save The Irishman until the Christmas holidays.

As someone who read the book, I wonder if my take on DeNiro's performance (and the movie) will be different from people who did not read the book.

In the book, Pesci's character is the most interesting, followed by Hoffa, and then F.S.

In the book, Frank (assuming he was telling the truth - and that's a BIG assumption) comes across as a mindless thug, a big bag off hammers, a wannabe. So perhaps DeNiro is "nailing the character"?

Did anyone else read the book and, if so, how did you feel about the movie and the performances?

 

[ORRFForever]

He's a lot of fun in the Watchmen series. Just bursting with charisma.

I also liked his (brief) comedic turn in Django Unchained.

Growing up in the 80's, every guy I know (myself included) wanted to be him so bad...

 

[NyQuil]

Growing up in the 80's, every guy I know (myself included) wanted to be him so bad...

I had the Miami Vice soundtrack LP, so I know what you are saying.

Jan Hammer FTW!

I actually grow stubble deliberately (since I have a youthful face) and my colleagues kept calling me Crockett for awhile when I wore suits.

More to mock me than to compliment me. I want to wear a t-shirt with one some time as a joke but I haven't had the guts to do so.

 

[ORRFForever]

I had the Miami Vice soundtrack LP, so I know what you are saying.

Jan Hammer FTW!

I actually grow stubble deliberately (since I have a youthful face) and my colleagues kept calling me Crockett for awhile when I wore suits.

More to mock me than to compliment me. I want to wear a t-shirt with one some time as a joke but I haven't had the guts to do so.

It's an awesome look if you can pull it off.

I always say, "In the 80's, the guys wanted to be Don Johnson, and the women wanted be with Mark Harmon."

 

[Osprey]

I found myself wishing they had just made a Jimmy Hoffa movie.

Yeah, a movie with Pacino's Hoffa as the main character and De Niro's Sheeran as a more minor character might've been better, IMO. I've always liked the 1992 movie Hoffa with Jack Nicholson and Danny DeVito and wished at several points that I watching that, instead.

I've heard from many people that Pesci steals the movie.

He really doesn't, IMO. He's decent, but it's a monotone performance that feels consistent with a guy being dragged out of retirement. I think that people are just happy to see him acting again.

 

[kihei]

Never saw Brick. Is it good? Do you have an old review?

My 2 cents :

This kind of movie is usually done once or twice a year - like you said in your review. And it is usually done poorly. Too many twists, too many turns, and an ending out of Left Field - all in the hope of SHOCKING the audience. I appreciate a movie that takes a different approach to the ending and finally puts a new spin on the whole "everyone could be the killer" thing.

For me, I really didn't care who the killer was. I loved how smart everyone was, their interplay, and it was still great to see that Don Johnson (my boyhood hero) is still handsome, even in his 70's.

I did do a review of Brick, but I think it got deleted with a bunch of other threads back there aways. I gave it a 7A, I believe. Brick is a lot of fun, an off-beat film noir with the usual Sam Spade-type detective character replaced by a kid in high school (Joseph Gordon-Levitt). Definitely recommended.

 

[ORRFForever]

I did do a review of Brick, but I think it got deleted with a bunch of other threads back there aways. I gave it a 7A, I believe. Brick is a lot of fun, an off-beat film noir with the usual Sam Spade-type detective character replaced by a kid in high school (Joseph Gordon-Levitt). Definitely recommended.

Oh no... NOT Joseph Gordon-Levitt.

I might watch Looper tonight - even with JGJ in it.

 

[OhCaptainMyCaptain]

Been a long time since I’ve watched both Looper and Brick. Might need to do that soon.

 

[kihei]

Oh no... NOT Joseph Gordon-Levitt.

I might watch Looper tonight - even with JGJ in it.

He doesn't leave much of an impression with me. But he is better in Brick than anything else that I have seen him in, including Looper.

 

[Pranzo Oltranzista]

Knives Out - I thought it would be more fun/funnier, otherwise it was what I expected it would be, a very forgettable movie - 3/10

 

[Pranzo Oltranzista]

The Irishman - walking has never been more challenging for these tough guys, an old man's old gangsters film with full of old people - the whole thing smells like a big pile of geriatric diapers. I'll give it a pass for its intertextual value, and for that sequence where DeNiro understands that

Spoiler

Hoffa will be offed.

Everything else was meh and the CGI often made it feel like boring cinematics from a videogame. 4/10

 

[OhCaptainMyCaptain]

The Irishman - walking has never been more challenging for these tough guys, an old man's old gangsters film with full of old people - the whole thing smells like a big pile of geriatric diapers. I'll give it a pass for its intertextual value, and for that sequence where DeNiro understands that

Spoiler

Hoffa will be offed.

Everything else was meh and the CGI often made it feel like boring cinematics from a videogame. 4/10

Some would even call it a theme park.

 

[Pranzo Oltranzista]

Some would even call it a theme park.

The theme being the nursing home?

 

[Pranzo Oltranzista]

Some would even call it a theme park.

If Marvel films are theme parks, The Irishman is the equivalent of this: