The Irishman

[EgoDeath]

I plan on watching The Irishman for the second time today, so my opinion might change by the end of the night, but honestly, I have to say that I think that this is Scorsese's best film, hands down, which is saying quite a lot. Scorsese has directed such films as:

Who's That Knocking At My Door?

Mean Streets


Taxi Driver

Raging Bull

Goodfellas

Cape Fear

Casino

Gangs of New York

The Departed

Shutter Island

The Wolf of Wall Street


He also directed an episode or two of the hit TV show Boardwalk Empire, from what I understand.

I'm probably a bit biased, because while a lot of fans of directors or actors or musicians always like "the earlier work," I love to see artists of all forms develop and change and evolve as creative forces, and often find myself loving an artist's newest, latest work more than anything. A big example would be how much everyone hated Jay Z's new music, but personally, I think his album 4:44 is by far the best album he's put together in his entire musical career. It doesn't always work across the board... I'm not into the newest stuff just because it's the newest... I think I just honestly enjoy watching artists develop.

But I digress.

And so I come to The Irishman, and despite its run time, at three hours and some change, I really think it's Scorsese's best film, and The Departed has been one of my all-time favorite movies for a lot of years, and The Irishman has since surpassed it on my list of favorite movies. I just think that this movie is so great at telling its story. The camera work, the dialogue, everything about it except for the cheesy CGI they used on DeNiro, was all super impressive. I'm no cinephile, at least not compared to true cinephiles, but I really geeked out over this movie and I can't wait to watch it for the second time today.

Did you guys have any thoughts on the movie? Had a solid three years to watch it yet? lol

I've heard opinion ranging from people loving it more than I did, to absolutely hating it, to being unimpressed, to having no thoughts really, to thinking it was great but not good.... so any  and all opinions are welcome I'm just excited to hear what any of you guys thought. Hell, one guy even told me "I preferred Endgame," which was a snarky nod to Scorsese's comments about the Marvel movies. I thought that was funny lol

So, I'm not talking about anything in the story here because I don't want to be responsible for any spoilers... So, here's your official spoiler alert, because someone else may very well throw some in somewhere in this thread.

Here's the trailer to the movie, just in case you need to be motivated

---

---

[BrianSoddingBoru4]

I liked everything about it - the cast, the pacing, the script, all of it.  But what really stood out for me was Joe Pesci’s stealing every scene he was in. He projected an air of quiet menace that I found absolutely riveting. If he doesn’t win the Oscar, it’ll be a travesty.

Boru

[Duty]

Far too cliche'd for my taste - thematically, casting wise...plus Wolf of Wall Street is probably the ugliest and most depressing film I've ever seen. I did try watching TIM yet made it only circa 5 mins in before turning it off in contempt. Ah well, horses and courses I guess.

---

I liked everything about it - the cast, the pacing, the script, all of it.  But what really stood out for me was Joe Pesci’s stealing every scene he was in. He projected an air of quiet menace that I found absolutely riveting. If he doesn’t win the Oscar, it’ll be a travesty.

Boru

OK, having just said that, I'm inclined to have respect for Mr Boru so I'll give it another try with a more open mind...standing at least 15 mins for sure hahaha

[EgoDeath]

I liked everything about it - the cast, the pacing, the script, all of it. But what really stood out for me was Joe Pesci’s stealing every scene he was in. He projected an air of quiet menace that I found absolutely riveting. If he doesn’t win the Oscar, it’ll be a travesty.

Boru

Ah, did the Oscars not happen yet? You may remember how I feel about awards. LOL!

Joe Pesci has a knack for stealing the show, in the best way possible... did you happen to catch the "secret" little 20 minute conversation after the movie was over? Worth watching if you really liked the film. You have to let the movie totally play out on Netflix, i.e. fast forward as far to the end as you can, then the "play next" screen will come up, and it's a little 20 minute conversation between Pacino, Pesci, Scorsese and deNiro about the backstory of the movie, the making of, etc. Pretty cool to watch.

Far too cliche'd for my taste - thematically, casting wise...plus Wolf of Wall Street is probably the ugliest and most depressing film I've ever seen. I did try watching TIM yet made it only circa 5 mins in before turning it off in contempt. Ah well, horses and courses I guess.

Interesting. I thought Scorsese did a good job of avoiding any painfully obvious cliches. Also, I really suggest you give The Wolf of Wall Street another chance... I know a lot of people just looked at it like it was glorifying drug use, breaking the law and being unfaithful to your beautiful blonde wife... but it wasn't that at all. Scorsese, in my opinion, was trying his best capture the absolute chaos that was Jordan Belfort's life... the addiction to drugs, to sex, to money, to power. If anything, he was portraying Belfort as a fucking piece of shit. It's just that he's humanized so you do, in fact, see Belfort as a human, which I think is a side a lot of people do not want to see. I think it's easy for us to paint certain people in one way, with one word, so our idea about them is a nice, tidy little package that our minds can manage.

I think reality is often much different. I think Belfort was an addict, and power hungry, and a megalomaniac, and an asshole, and a husband, sometimes a good one, often times not, and a guy who was deeply insecure, and trying to fill the void(s) in his life with everything he could find, because he was self-medicating.

Of course, all of this can still be true while you still think the movie sucked - and that's totally fine. I think you should just rethink it a bit, if you can, or if you care to, or if you think what I'm saying makes any sense.

But, in a way, yeah, The Wolf of Wall Street was very ugly and depressing... and I think Scorsese captured that essence of Belfort's life wonderfully. This guy was not some awesome, super cool, rich, fly, suave stockbroker. He was a con artist and an addict in almost every way shape and form, on top of, obviously, being a criminal.

So yeah, just something to think about!

[paulpablo]

I don't think it's the best thing they've done but I didn't hate it.

They definitely don't change their acting style.  I don't think they should though.  Did anyone make it through the film without doing an impersonation?  

It didn't feel fresh but I didn't expect it to.  I expect this is the last gangster film any of them will play a major role in again (not because the film was bad, just because of their age) and they used the same formula that they have been doing for a long time now to make another good film.

[EgoDeath]

I don't think it's the best thing they've done but I didn't hate it.

They definitely don't change their acting style.  I don't think they should though.  Did anyone make it through the film without doing an impersonation?  

It didn't feel fresh but I didn't expect it to.  I expect this is the last gangster film any of them will play a major role in again (not because the film was bad, just because of their age) and they used the same formula that they have been doing for a long time now to make another good film.

I hear you, but like you said... didn't expect them to change up much. The film was, however, very different for Scorsese in ways that may be subtle to some. I mean, sure, it was a gangster film, but the way it was told was much more different, much more patient, and not just because it was a three and half hour movie, LOL! Scorsese played the orchestra, so to speak, quite well, as far as I'm concerned

[Duty]

I'm half way through it now...maybe I did get it wrong, and he's actually demonising the psychopathic murderous amoral arseholes, and was too in Wolf of Wal lStreet...but then what's with casting these "well loved" actors...protagonists even? One is supposed to empathise with protagonists, No? And all the "pleasant, sound of a generation" music...awareness raising?

Or just facile, vacuous, meaningless, disingenuous, horrific, unrealistic, sensationalist, blood and guts entertainment to make yet more £$$£££$£$$£s

Or something else...

---

Perhaps it's an American film, where firearm murders are sometimes perceived to be virtually "par for the course" in RL? Or something else...

[EgoDeath]

I'm half way through it now...maybe I did get it wrong, and he's actually demonising the psychopathic murderous amoral arseholes, and was too in Wolf of Wal lStreet...but then what's with casting these "well loved" actors...protagonists even? One is supposed to empathise with protagonists, No? And all the "pleasant, sound of a generation" music...awareness raising?

Or just facile, vacuous, meaningless, disingenuous, horrific, unrealistic, sensationalist, blood and guts entertainment to make yet more £$$£££$£$$£s

Or something else...

---

Perhaps it's an American film, where firearm murders are sometimes perceived to be virtually "par for the course" in RL? Or something else...

I don't think he's demonizing these subjects, but I don't think he's glorifying them either. I also don't think that casting well-known actors automatically prevents one from having something real to say about very controversial subjects.

[Duty]

TBH EgoDeath, they're all HARDCORE murderous criminals - and yet neither of us are in the slightest convinced they're being demonised - therefore total decency FAIL, IMO.

[EgoDeath]

TBH EgoDeath, they're all HARDCORE murderous criminals - and yet neither of us are in the slightest convinced they're being demonised - therefore total decency FAIL, IMO.

Okay, that's your opinion. I don't think Scorsese is attempting to do either. What he does is humanizes people through telling their story, which a lot of people cannot handle because, once again, it's easier for your brain to see someone as a complete monster than it is to understand that they were a person.

edit: Also, I don't think it needs to be said for most people... lol... but let's just cover all bases here... The point of film is not LETS BE DECENT! Lol that's kind of silly that you'd even say that.