Absolutely correct. And the first half anyway keeps you completely hooked. Doesn't matter if Scorsese somewhat treads familiar territory, both stylistically and narratively, not because it's extremely well done, which it is, but also we can feel he is already saying something different from Goodfellas or Casino.Vader182 wrote: ↑November 27th, 2019, 6:38 pmThe first half of The Irishman is "generic" on purpose. Scorsese retreads familiar territory, yes, but instead of treating the material with romance and sentiment, he treats it mostly as mundane, banal and a little pathetic.
You're not supposed to feel as electrified, or even as entertained, as you were by Goodfellas, Casino or Wolf. Goodfellas begins with zippy voiceover about wanting to be a gangster, The Irishman begins with a bitter old man. Goodfellas doesn't wait long to deploy a rivetting "oner" through the back of a restaurant, glorifying the exclusivity of "the life," The Irishman doesn't wait long to have a... slow road trip. From the start, Scorsese is demythifying the genre he, more or less, helped promote to the realm of myth.
The first half is an act of truthful retrospection before before Scorsese proverbially kneels for the introspective "confession," of the second half. This is exactly why you have to experience it all in one sitting.
-Vader
The Irishman (2019)
Posts: 566
Joined:
July 2010
Of course the meandering narrative serves a purpose, that goes without saying.Vader182 wrote: ↑November 27th, 2019, 6:38 pmThe first half of The Irishman is "generic" on purpose. Scorsese retreads familiar territory, yes, but instead of treating the material with romance and sentiment, he treats it mostly as mundane, banal and a little pathetic.
You're not supposed to feel as electrified, or even as entertained, as you were by Goodfellas, Casino or Wolf. Goodfellas begins with zippy voiceover about wanting to be a gangster, The Irishman begins with a bitter old man. Goodfellas doesn't wait long to deploy a rivetting "oner" through the back of a restaurant, glorifying the exclusivity of "the life," The Irishman doesn't wait long to have a... slow road trip. From the start, Scorsese is demythifying the genre he, more or less, helped promote to the realm of myth.
The first half is an act of truthful retrospection before before Scorsese proverbially kneels for the introspective "confession," of the second half. This is exactly why you have to experience it all in one sitting.
-Vader
However there is a more than a few of unnecessary (or even bad) scenes that could have been trimmed; the most egregious one
Such a masterpiece. I've been waiting so long for this one
Btw, what a great year for DeNiro: Joker and The Irishman
Top 5 best movies of 2019. Big time!
Btw, what a great year for DeNiro: Joker and The Irishman
Top 5 best movies of 2019. Big time!
There are no peaks and troughs, the whole thing is consistently and organically amazing and the best film of the year.
Great film. Pacino should win an Oscar. Pesci is wonderful too.
I never felt the 3.5 hours runtime. Time seemed to fly by.
However, I'm much less inclined to call it a masterpiece.
Familiar territory all around. Prieto's work is so and so.
I never felt the 3.5 hours runtime. Time seemed to fly by.
However, I'm much less inclined to call it a masterpiece.
Familiar territory all around. Prieto's work is so and so.
Just watched it again, the phone call scene is still just as heartbreaking as the first viewing.
Side note, I really like the editing in Scorcese's movies.
Side note, I really like the editing in Scorcese's movies.
Posts: 55632
Joined:
May 2010
Halfway through this and I believe in magic.
The flow is just insane, can't even see the stitches I swear to god this has to be how muggles feel right before getting struck by avada kedavra.
The flow is just insane, can't even see the stitches I swear to god this has to be how muggles feel right before getting struck by avada kedavra.
Holy cow. Still marinating this epic. One thing is for sure, give Pesci all the awards. Probably his best work ever.
