The Irishman, the anticipated Mafia movie about Jimmy Hoffa, directed by Scorcese is the funniest and most poignant Mafia movie I’ve seen — mind you, I think Scorcese just wanted to get his buddies back together on the big screen. Usual suspects: Pacino, DeNiro, Pesci and Harvey Keitel. Usual business: Mazeltov, wood chippers, dead bodies, splattered blood, and cold cash. Okay fine.
Character: In a speculative account of Jimmy Hoffa’s life, Scorsese offers his own guesses surrounding the disappearance of Hoffa. Al Pacino does his best work yet, shedding old habits from past roles, expanding himself with new mannerisms and spirited energy accompanying his signature passion. DeNiro plays a loyal and burdened hit man, funny, introspective and carries the pace of the film on his shoulders. Pesci is formidable in his understated approach to one of the top crime bosses of Pennsylvania. He plays the classic, mobster with a heart-a-gold — -calculating, hot and cold, depending on the day, the mood. You are not sure if you can trust him but so far he hasn’t killed you so you think he’s alright in a hit man kind of way. Harvey Keitel is mysteriously silent through out the film, with several intense scenes, where a shot of his face reminds you of the shadow of death--He’s Harvey Keitel afterall.
Setting: I couldn’t help but notice the sacramentals in the film strategically appear like product placement. Scorsese has always found refuge in weaving catholic ethos into his mobster films, without being vulnerable to criticism of being “too catholic” it was always easy for him because there was a catholic cultural connection with the Mafia, ubiquitous, and therefore harmless to the viewer uncomfortable with Religion.
In this film, he confronts the obvious and explores the realm of sin and forgiveness all the while the viewer is still laughing their head off by irony and DeNiro’s life sentence as a kind of Faustian character.
The only thing separating us from God is the will: the CODA in the film. The comedy throughout is delivered by Deniro’s down playing his crimes, making Scorseses’ last 30 min a masterpiece in conveying catholic themes: Forgiveness and Love.
The impact of Scorcese denouement is heart wrenching and you get a good cry as Deniro’s character whispers “Father” towards the confessor who has just left the door ajar. He leaves his beloved character with free will and we know, because we are human, that only death with a good conscience awaits us at heaven’s door.