The Irishman: Intricately Confusing

Rating: 6.8/10

Impressive in multiple ways, The Irishman's unstoppable cast and director work to tell a cinematographly wonderful but confusing story.

Highlights: 

• Great acting by stars Robert De Niro, Al Pacino, and Joe Pesci

• Wonderful cinematography

• Careful storytelling by director Martin Scorsese

Lowlights: 

• Long at 210 minutes

• Hard to follow

• Probably will need subtitles

Unfortunately, I didn't quite understand this film. However, with a cast of De Niro, Pacino, and Pesci plus Scorsese as the director, a film could not be better set up for cinematic success. The length of the film and depth of the plot worked against the success of The Irishman. While the wonderful, perfectly 1950s cinematography greatly improved the understandability and aesthetics of the film, I was still often lost in the story. Even after reading the plot summary after, I didn't quite understand the splendor. However, I know I'm missing something -- one of the highest rated films of the year and even snagging a spot on Barack Obama's favorite 2019 movies list, The Irishman is a work of art that takes maturity and dedication to fully appreciate.

Did you watch the movie? Do you want more? Check out the basis for the movie, Charles Brandt's book I Heard You Paint Houses. A true story, this highly-rated book will provide more detail into the events that transpired in The Irishman.

Watch the trailer!