Dir: Martin Scorsese

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Robert DeNiro
Al Pacino
Joe Pesci
Harvey Keitel
Steven Graham

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People often ask me why I bother going to see films I know I won’t like, the reason is simple; I quite like being proved wrong.

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I was not proved wrong about The Irishman.

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Set in an array of different time zones using magical de-aging tech and clever production design we follow the story of Frank Sheeran’s (DeNiro) rise and fall of the American mob boss world. Gaining friends and allies along the way in the form of Russell Bufalino (Pesci), Jimmy Hoffa (Pacino) and Angelo Bruno (Keitel), Frank becomes one of the most respected right hand men in the business. Although it comes at the price of his daughter and others along the way.

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Al Pacino’s performance stood out for me, I enjoyed his scenes above anyone else’s and the film felt lost until he came in.

I also enjoyed the inclusion of historical events such as the death of President a Kennedy but I didn’t really follow why Pacino hated the Kennedy’s so much. That could just be my ignorance or down to bad story telling.

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It was 210 minutes. Two hundred and ten minutes. Three and a half hours of the same three people having the same conversation over and over again. 210 minutes.

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Every conversation between DeNiro & Pacino, DeNiro & Pesci, Pacino & Pesci went like this:

A: Fred’s back at the house

B: Fred’s here?

A: Yeah he’s at the house

B: He’s at the house?

A: Yeah Fred got here this morning, he’s at the house

B: When did he arrive?

A: He arrived just this morning

B: At the house?

A: Yeah Fred’s here, he’s at the house, he got here this morning

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Literally.

I am not exaggerating.

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It’s gritty, simplistic and at times slightly amusing. But none of those factors take away from the fact that the plot was boring, the characters weren’t likeable, the dialogue was pacey and repetitive, even the de-aging fell flat in places. Honestly, 3 and a half hours of my life I will never get back. Occasionally I really should listen to my gut.

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My favourite thing about it is that I have seen it and now don’t need to see it again.