Netflix Releases THE IRISHMAN

Jeri Jacquin

Currently on Netflix from director Martin Scorsese is the highly anticipated film streaming with THE IRISHMAN.

Frank Sheeran (Robert De Niro) served in World War II and is now a truck driver trying to take care of his family in 1950's Philadelphia. When is truck breaks down, he meets Russell Bufalino (Joe Pesci) who seems to know how to fix it. Wanting to show his appreciation, Frank offers but Russell turns him down and both go on their way.

Selling a few things to a local crime family, he is accused of theft and lawyer Bill Bufalino (Ray Romano) convinces a judge that he is innocent. Bufalino introduces Frank to his cousin - Russel Bufalino and immediately he begins to work for Russell. As the head of the Scranton crime family, Russell is privvy to almost everything going on and becomes close friends with Frank. Their friendship starts real money coming to Frank and his family.

Jimmy Hoffa is the president of the Teamsters and an acquaintance of Russells. Sending Frank over to help Hoffa means dealing with Anthony "Pro" Provenzano (Stephen Graham) who is causing trouble. If that isn't hard enough, Hoffa is having problems with the government and blames the Kennedys for all his difficulties. Bringing Frank aboard, Hoffa starts to feel as if there is at least one person he can trust.

When Robert Kennedy is named Attorney General, Hoffa can't control his anger knowing that the President's brother is going to do anything possible to bring him down. Eventually that is exactly what happens and while in prison, Frank goes back to work for Russell and the Teamsters is being run by Frank Fitzsimmons.

While in prison, Hoffa gets into a scuffle with Provenzano when insults are exchanged. Not realizing that this is a bad idea, Frank consistently tries to smooth their beef over with no luck. In 1971, President Nixon pardon's Jimmy Hoffa but he can't get back in with the Teamsters for a while.

He may not be able to jump back in the ring but certainly make plans to do it and that's exactly what Hoffa does. Being as loud as everyone remembers him to be, Russell starts getting heat from the others that Hoffa is becoming a problem. Turning to Frank's friendship with Hoffa, they ask him to convey that Hoffa needs to curtail the rhetoric. Well that couldn't have had the worse effect on the former leader of the Teamsters.

Instead of cutting back a bit, he informs Frank loudly that he knows things about the dons that make him untouchable and all but dares them to try anything. When Bufalino's daughter is to be married, Russell, Frank and their wives make a road trip to attend. Everything is fine until Russell tells Frank that he is going to make a side trip to meet Hoffa and bring Provenzano so they can finally put things to rest.

Putting things to rest is what Frank does best.

De Niro as Frank "The Irishman" Sheeran is fantastic but then again I would expect nothing less. Scorsese knows that if he is going to do a Mafia film he can't exactly do it without De Niro. Having him start off as a younger man is a little unnerving and it is easy to spot the changes, but as the film goes along he just morphs into character and ages right along with him. What De Niro has the stunning ability to do is make you feel for a character that isn't exactly an saint. The effects of this are lost on Frank but not on the family as his daughters struggle with the knowledge of who their father is.

Pacino as Hoffa is portrayed as an incredible character in that he has a mouth that I'm not sure how he got away with for so long. Well, absolute power does corrupt absolutely and Hoffa was definetly on the right side of that saying. He ran the Teamsters the way HE wanted to run it and whoa-be anybody that got in his way. Even prison didn't stop him - much. Pacino adds a dynamic that is such a struggle for Frank and Russell, they want to understand, they try to understand but the noose starts to get tight around their necks. Pacino is everything marvelous and then some.

Pesci as Russell is such a treasure and what is interesting about this character is the eerie calmness. I'm used to seeing Pesci get loud, get crazy and make no excuses for any of it. In the role of Russell he gives a collected demeanor that never gets out of hand and plays everything close to the chest. There is nothing about the way that he behaves that gives anything away, no plans, no ideas…nothing. Instead, behind those eyes are plans upon plans and he makes no apologies for caring for those he loves first and foremost.

Graham as Provenzano is the thorn in Hoffa's side, the thing that rubs him the wrong way and the very thing that sets his teeth to grinding. Feeling he owes Hoffa nothing, Provenzano has no problem hitting below the belt or in the eye - which ever. Graham gives his character a Superman complex of huge proportion and puffs his chest whenever his enemy is near.

Other cast include Bobby Cannavale as Felix DiTullio, Anna Paquin as Peggy Sheeran, Stephanie Kurtzuba as Irene Sheeran, Kathrine Narducci as Carrie Bufalino, Welder White as Jo Hoffa, Jesse Plemons as Chuckie O'Brien, Jack Huston as Robert Kennedy, Domenick Lombardozzi as Anthony Salerno, Paul Herman as Whispers DiTullio, Louis Cancelmi as Salvatore Briguglio, Marin Ireland as Dolores Sheeran, Sebastian Maniscalco as Joseph Gallo, Jim Norton as Don Rickles, Al Linea as Sam Giancana, Joseph Riccobene as Jimmy Fratianno and Harvey Keitel as Angelo Bruno.

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The project came from De Niro after he read the 2004 book by Charles Brandt I Heard You Paint Houses. Bringing it to the attention of Martin Scorsese meant that it couldn't have been placed in better hands. Industrial Light & Magic (emphasis on 'magic') did the de-aging for the film.

Scorsese said on The A24 Podcast that "there is a great deal of CGI because we're doing this youthification of De Niro, Pesci and Al Pacino. We're all concerned that we're so used to watching them as the older faces." I don't think he has anything to worry about as the storyline takes over any thoughts about the youthification.

THE IRISHMAN is everything I want in a film like this and more. In fact the running time of 209 minutes means that every part of the story is explored. From Franks marriages to the relationships with his daughter, especially the strain with daughter Peggy and how people perceived Frank. The story of Russell is shrouded in a bit of mystery except for what Frank knows and shares with us in his narrations and I don't mind that. The story of Hoffa and what got him in trouble with everyone is intense and constantly in flux.

The film is breath taking in scope and not a moment of time is wasted. Every minute is important and that's something views are agreeing on. The last half hour as we are part of Frank's mob-afterlife, I am even more giddy with De Niro, Pacino and Pesci's performances. THE IRISHMAN is a film that reminds us of what an amazing world cinema creates for us all.

In the end - his story changed history!