Martin Scorsese has prominently in the news recently. Not for any of his achievements in his illustrious career, but his comments calling Marvel films, "not cinema." The eight-time Oscar nominee has spent most of the press tour for his latest movie, The Irishman, defending his stances and comments. This is a real shame, as The Irishman has been in gestation for the last decade or so and deserves far better press. Scorsese could not find a financial backer from any of the major studios, so he resorted to moving his film Netflix, who gave him the rare carte blanche with a reported $160 million dollar budget. Though the movie had an incredibly limited theatrical run, I managed to snag some tickets for the 3 and a half hour epic. So is The Irishman worth it? Does the 77-year-old director still have his mojo? The answer is...absolutely.
The Irishman is a masterpiece of film. Scorsese having the time to fully edit his vision makes this possible. Though both The Wolf of Wall Street and Silence turned out solid finished products, they both were rushed in post-production to meet Oscar deadlines for the detriment of the film. Giving Scorsese and longtime collaborator and editor Thelma Schoonmaker time to make a 3 and a half hour movie not have any fluff or excess is a phenomenal feat. Netflix should be applauded. Pacing is the best gift Scorsese has with the Irishman. It isn't quite the fast-paced flick such as Goodfellas or The Wolf of Wall Street, but that makes sense. It is telling a story over a span of 40 years, which demands geriatric yet enthralling pacing.
De-aging CGI has been incredibly hit or miss for many movies. Some t has turned out frankly creepy. At first glance, The Irishman's CGI is jarring, however, it never becomes an eyesore as the film goes on. Enough cannot be said for the acting performance of De Niro. He has appeared in more horrible excuses for films than anyone in the 21st century and it is so refreshing to have him return to his prime in a Scorsese picture. Joe Pesci's first performance in 13 years was a sight for sore eyes. Long gone are the days of Tommy Devito's over the top antics, but here is the nuanced and sentimental performance by Pesci, who has not lost a step. For years, I have been calling for De Niro and Pacino to fire their agents, as neither of them have had more than a few good projects come their way since the change of the millennium. However, both are on their top performance in this film, reminding us why they have 14 Oscar nominations combined.
Scorsese delivers his most sincere and heart-filled gangster flick yet. The director proves that he can make incredible movies as long as he damn pleases. He makes a film for his age, as a man winding down his life who may have some regrets, as Scorcese's films have always tackled a piece of his own psyche. If you get a chance, see it on a big screen, or at least the biggest screen possible, and watch the film in one sitting. Though it is long, I promise it worthwhile. I cannot find a single flaw with this film, and it is maybe my second perfect score for the year.
Grade: (10/10)
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