3 reasons to watch The Irishman on Netflix
By Keldine Hull
The Irishman directedy by Martin Scorsese and starring Robert De Niro, Joe Pesci and Al Pacino is a must-watch on Netflix!
Martin Scorsese’s The Irishman was officially released on Netflix today, two months after its premier at the New York Film Festival on September 27.
Adapted from Frank Sheeran’s 2004 autobiography “I Heard You Paint Houses,” The Irishman recounts Sheeran’s hitman days, affiliation with the Bufalino family and involvement in the murder of Jimmy Hoffa, longtime president of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters union.
Already considered one of Scorsese’s best films, The Irishman follows a long line of iconic movies by the legendary director including Taxi Driver, Goodfellas and Casino.
Critics already predict that The Irishman could potentially earn Netflix its first Oscar for Best Picture.
If you haven’t seen it already, here are 3 reasons why you need to watch the hit film:
The Cast
The Irishman stars some of the most important names in mob movie history, including Robert De Niro as Frank Sheeran, Joe Pesci and Al Pacino. This movie has the holy trinity of gangster movies, as I like to call them.
I grew up on classic mob movies like The Godfather, Goodfellas and Casino, and there’s a reason why we don’t really see movies like that anymore.
Very few actors have the chops to genuinely portray the life of a mobster, that fine line between being a tough guy and sticking to an inherent moral code despite their violent and corrupt line of work.
Due to de-aging VFX, we get to see all three actors portray younger versions of themselves. Full disclosure, I was skeptical at first, but The Irishman’s de-aging was so convincing that it didn’t take anything away from the quality of the film or the stars’ performances.
In addition to Pacino, De Niro and Pesci, we also get to see another mob movie favorite, Harvey Keitel, as well as Breaking Bad’s Jesse Plemons, Ray Romano and Anna Paquin as Peggy Sheeran.
Historical References
While many doubted Sheeran’s actual involvement in Jimmy Hoffa’s death, The Irishman itself offers a glimpse into the rise of Hoffa (played by Pacino), the Kennedy’s, the political turmoil and role of organized crime throughout the ’60s and ’70s.
Jimmy Hoffa led the Teamsters from 1957 to 1971, advocating for workers in the union, and helped build Las Vegas with the aid of organized crime.
For people who might be unfamiliar with the nuances of the time, they get a clearer understanding of why Jimmy Hoffa’s disappearance is still one of the most infamous moments in United States history.
Viewers also got a crash course in the mob’s involvement with the labor movement, the significance of the Bay of Pigs and impact of Kennedy’s assassination on the mob.
Nostalgia
Some people who saw The Irishman complained that it really didn’t offer anything different from other classic mob movies.
To a certain extent, I understand their point of view, but that’s what I love about The Irishman.
From the soundtrack to the actors to the impeccable way it was filmed, everything about The Irishman is reminiscent of a bygone era in film when gangster movies really thrived. There’s a certain formula involved in making a classic mob movie, and to change that formula too drastically would result in a film that doesn’t live up to its predecessors.
Scorsese’s unique, trademark ability to tell a story is what makes his films so iconic, and the execution of his vision is flawless.
There’s a chance that The Irishman could be the last great mob movie of our time. Who knows if we’ll ever see Pacino, De Niro and Pesci all together in one film again.
If that’s the case, simply put, The Irishman is the gangster movie to end all gangster movies.