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'The Irishman': Scorscese or SNL?

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Posted on November 29, 2019 at 15:44:43
Billy Wonka
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 At times I thought I was watching SNL gangster skits, other times the world's oldest actors playing the world's oldest gangsters, and the last swan song of the over-the-hill gang.

At 3:09:00 you had better be committed despite the uneven acting. The story was based on the book written by the guy who killed Hoffa. It goes deep into DeNiro's initial involvement and growth in the gangster/Hoffa connections.

DeNiro was good but at times he would lapse into exaggerated facial expressions that are his recognizable stock-in-trade. Pacino was Hoffa or Hoffa was Pacino with Attica relapses. Finally, Pesci gave the best, measured performance without recreating his past. The rest of the cast pretty much followed Pesci's example.

Martin loves to tell crime stories and this one lasts three hours because he thought it needed it. I'm okay with that and I might watch it a second time. If only DeNiro and Pacino could tone it down.

 

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Pacino tone it down????????..., posted on November 29, 2019 at 17:29:56
musetap
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 Fergedaboudit!!!

Pesci WAS brilliant, Pacino was Pacino (brilliant), DeNiro rose to the occasion
as well as can be expected at this (the past 25 years) point in time, for him.

FANTASTIC supporting cast and characters i n a very interesting (and...humanistic) story well told.

VERY relaxed pacing, NICELY put together.

I figured Scorsese might blow it given the time and money spent, but think he pulled it off quite well.

Let's face it -these guys WON'T be doing this again, so this might be their collective gangster swan
song.

I found it worthy even beyond that aspect and will watch it again at least once.

"Once this was all Black Plasma and Imagination"-Michael McClure



 

I liked it, posted on November 29, 2019 at 19:50:56
Awe-d-o-file
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 With these older actors remember they've done so many films over so many years you're gonna learn their schtick like you won't with younger actors with t n or so years. I thought you were too critical

That said I'm feeling like it's one of my first Scorsese films that gets a B or B+.

Knowing the outcome played a big role in that. Pacino was fine. Everyone was very good.

I'll have to see how I feel about in in a few years.

At 60 I'm facing my acting hero's getting quite old and a news story I lived through as a teen. I found these things cathartic in a way.

Did youwatch the 40 odd minute vid about the making of with the big three and Scorsese? Making the big three look both older AND younger was done by Lucas CGI not make up. It was totally worth watching.


ET

"If at first you don't succeed, keep on sucking till you do suck seed" - Curly Howard 1936

 

No, I haven't seen the "making of" yet . . ., posted on November 30, 2019 at 13:37:34
Billy Wonka
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 But I will for sure see it. I will watch it again and I like the story-telling talent of Scorsese. It's sad, but it is glaringly apparent these guys won't be making another gangster epic together. Father Time will be stepping in soon.

 

I thought the 'younger' DeNiro's eyes looked odd, too blue and almost glowing. I was disappointed in the CGI , posted on November 30, 2019 at 15:02:50
PhilJ
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 in general which was a bit of a distraction. Otherwise I think Scorsese did a fine job.

 

That's what it was . . . , posted on November 30, 2019 at 16:56:36
Billy Wonka
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 I knew something was different about him but didn't catch on.

 

RE: I thought the 'younger' DeNiro's eyes looked odd, too blue and almost glowing. I was disappointed in the CGI , posted on December 1, 2019 at 05:32:35
troutbum
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 Sorry for being an idiot, but what is CGI?

 

Computer Generated Imagery, posted on December 1, 2019 at 06:19:56
PhilJ
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 ...

 

Mixed feelings..., posted on December 1, 2019 at 10:49:55
tunenut
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 I found the CGI effect off-putting. The younger versions seemed a bit cartoonish. From my rough calculation, Frank would have been early 30s in the late 50s, making him early 90s now. De Niro is pretty easily aged into a credible 90s, but less credibly turned back to his 30s.

That aside, at 3 1/2 hours, this should be epic. The intersection of crime mobs with labor unions and the top levels of politics is encompassed all the way from Kennedy to Watergate and a little bit beyond. In this fictional world (probably based at least partially in reality), crime elected Kennedy to reclaim Cuba, and there is at least the hint that crime whacked Kennedy after he failed with Cuba and his brother was going after crime as AG. And involved in this world of money and control is Hoffa and the Teamsters.

It is a big story and I found it held interest for most of the running time, though I was flagging toward the end. There is the strong hint of nostalgia as the gang gets together for what will certainly the final visit to the world of 20th century mob drama. The familiar soundtrack of pop songs of 50+ years ago. De Niro, Keitel, and Scorsese were all kids when Mean Streets came out some 46 years ago. And now they are back with many other A list stars. Scorsese is 77 now and I think this is the last chapter of this part of his work.

It did not have the kind of energy and excitement of Goodfellas. Good but not great. Of course, with the weight of time, Frank in his present day nursing home, in his final days, there is a deeper perspective. All in all, I found it a fine movie and will probably eventually rewatch it.

 

We liked it ..., posted on December 1, 2019 at 12:10:45
reelsmith.
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 ...but felt it was a bit long.

The formula is long in the tooth at this point, so I hope this is the last Scorsese mob-flick.

Never thought I'd see Pacino in a toupee.

Was good to see Pesci again. I thought he was the best of the big three in this one. Maybe because DeNiro seemed like he was on auto-pilot.

Dean.


reelsmith's axiom: Its going to be used equipment when I sell it, so it may as well be used equipment when I buy it.


 

Check out Pacino as Phil Spector in a REAL toupee (as such)..., posted on December 1, 2019 at 12:46:52
musetap
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 and not some hoffaish buzz cut.

SURPRISINGLY... entertaining flick.

"Once this was all Black Plasma and Imagination"-Michael McClure




 

Yup, that was a goodun ^, posted on December 1, 2019 at 16:12:44
Road Warrior
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----------------------

"E Burres Stigano?"


 

Boring in the near extreme, posted on December 7, 2019 at 07:20:18
Victor Khomenko
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 I caught my wife looking at her iPad more and more, reading Trump news... and I didn't feel like blaming her.

How many times is that dead cow going to get milked?


 

RE: No, I haven't seen the "making of" yet . . ., posted on December 8, 2019 at 06:07:59
Awe-d-o-file
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 Agreed as my comment that it was a swan song conveyed.



ET

"If at first you don't succeed, keep on sucking till you do suck seed" - Curly Howard 1936

 

RE: 'The Irishman': Scorscese or SNL?, posted on December 21, 2019 at 14:14:05
mark.korda@myfairpoint.net
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 Hi, I really liked the movie. Billy Wonka pointed out DeNiros facial expressions. He looked like a guy that just ate a lemon and was nodding his head.That made me laugh before I read Billy's review. Also,the details of portraying what year it was,costumes,cars, was outstanding but I saw the twin towers in what time frame would be the sixties?....Mark Korda

 

The Twin Towers scene threw us off..., posted on December 21, 2019 at 14:55:17
musetap
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 for a moment before realizing the time frame of the film had jumped a couple years forward.

I think Watergate was on the news in the very next scene.

No way would Scorsese screw-up that sort of continuity.

"Once this was all Black Plasma and Imagination"-Michael McClure



 

Not as mediocre as everyone says, but I stayed awake throughout. Maybe low expectations. nt, posted on December 22, 2019 at 17:59:15
jdaniel@jps.net
 .

 

Maybe it was a pimply-faced 18 yo computer animation geek who got his ancient history mixed up. : ) , posted on December 23, 2019 at 07:42:26
jdaniel@jps.net
 Like when our parents would yell at the TV: "Wait a minute! Social Security cards only had 5 digits back then!" How could someone miss that!"

 

According to Wiki, the Towers opened in April 1973 . . ., posted on December 24, 2019 at 07:10:55
Billy Wonka
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 but they would have already been part of the skyline a few years earlier.

 

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