The Irishman (2019)

My Review

“The Irishman” is the story of a meat packing company delivery driver who becomes a hitman for the Philadelphia Mafia crime family, and eventually goes to work for Teamster president James Hoffa. Director Martin Scorsese (“The Departed” 2006) put together a high quality production with memorable performances and good writing by screenwriter Steven Zaillain. This project was adapted from the 2004 book “I Hear You Paint Houses” by Charles Brandt, with a running time of 209 minutes.

This very ambitious project was populated by Robert De Niro as Irish-American hitman Frank Sheeran, Al Pacino as Jimmy Hoffa, and Joe Pesci as the head of the Philly Mafia. Co-stars include Bobby Cannavale, Anna Paquin, Ray Romano, Harvey Keitel, Katherine Narducci, Jack Huston as Robert F. Kennedy, and Stephen Van Zandt as Jerry Vale. “The Irishman” aired on Netflix in September, 2019, after a brief theatrical release for Tribeca Productions, Sikelia Productions, Winkler Films, and Netflix.

“The Irishman” was nominated for ten Academy Awards with zero wins – Best Picture, Best Director, Best Supporting Actor (Pesci and Pacino), Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Cinematography (Rodrigo Prieto), Best Costume Design, Best Film Editing, Best Production Design, and Best Visual Effects. It was filmed across the New York City metropolitan area.