"It is what it is" - THE IRISHMAN

[SnakeTom]

I saw the movie last night. Sat thru the almost 4 hour movie in one sitting. Not the greatest mob movie I ever saw but still very very good. Great actors. The Godfather and Good fellows were probably more entertaining but this movie was probably more realistic. The post movie viewpoints of Marty & the three stars was also very interesting. I'd like to hear the views of any others who already saw this blockbuster flick.

Tom K

 

[HALL85]

Saw it finally last weekend and thought it was well done. Probably one of Pesce’s best portrayals. Pacino was okay, as was DiNiro. It blended the historical events at the same time giving a view into the life of a sociopath.

it is long, but that didn’t bother me. Great supporting cast with Sebastian Manascalco and Stevie Van Zandt, etc.

 

[SnakeTom]

We were debating which of the 3 megastars had the best performance. A friend thought it was DeNiro while my wife and son both thought definitely Pacino. I agree with you. I thought it was one of Joe Pesce' best performances and he was playing different & calmer character than he has in the past.

I liked the way they blended historical events into the story line which involves real people but of course was fictional since it is not really known what happened with Hoffa (OK maybe not what, but how). .

TK

 

[HALL85]

The main issue I had with DiNiro's character was that he didn't elicit any strong feelings as a viewer. You didn't hate him for all the hits that he did because he was doing his job and following orders, but you also didn't feel much sympathy for the character. Maybe its just me, but when he tried to confront Peggy in the bank to talk, I didn't feel sorry for him when she walked away. With Pacino, he was good, but there were times when I felt I was watching him in Scarface!.

Pesce came across as a quiet but chilling, ruthless, manipulator (compared to his Goodfellas role). He nailed that.

 

[SnakeTom]

The one line I thought was comical was when Frank tells Hoffa "it is what it is" (code for do what the mob wants or you might (will) get hit. To which Hoffa (Pacino) outrageously replies "they wouldn't dare" ( after all I'm Hoffa). Makes one wonder, does he know what business he's in -lol.

TK

 

[HALL85]

On a separate note, watch the Netflix three part series The Mind of Aaron Hernandez this weekend. Thought it did a really good job covering his life and the various things that may have led to his downfall. They don’t suggest one particular thing contributed to his behavior, but what a mess.

 

[rcodey]

Unlike most people I thought Goodfellas was a better movie than the Godfather trilogy . I enjoyed The Irishman but still prefer Goodfelllas . I thought Good fellas was more realistic . We had a cooperating mobster tell us that the Sopranos was the most realistic portrayal they had ever seen of mob life .

On 2 sidebars when I was a young detective in the Essex County Prosecutors Office I was assigned concerning a stolen car at Pals Cabin in West Orange . The perpetrator had been arrested and the case was coming to court . I spoke to the car's owner and explained the case was coming to trial and if the defendant didn't plead guilty we would need him to testify . The defendant did plead guilty and the owner never came to Newark to testify . A few months later I heard that Sal Briguglio was a suspect in Hoffas disappearance . Briguglio was the owner of the car . I hope my subpoena lying around his house didn't give suspicions to his confederates that he was cooperating with the law enforcement .

The other note Tony Pro, Anthony Provenzano, is decribed by one of his pals as a little -------------- . I laughed at that point . In the 90s I prosecuted his nephew for Racketeering and he was a little ----------- . The nephew even made a movie about the case with James Caan and some actors who were in the Sorpranos .

 

[SnakeTom]

Unlike most people I thought Goodfellas was a better movie than the Godfather trilogy . I enjoyed The Irishman but still prefer Goodfelllas . I thought Good fellas was more realistic . We had a cooperating mobster tell us that the Sopranos was the most realistic portrayal they had ever seen of mob life .

On 2 sidebars when I was a young detective in the Essex County Prosecutors Office I was assigned concerning a stolen car at Pals Cabin in West Orange . The perpetrator had been arrested and the case was coming to court . I spoke to the car's owner and explained the case was coming to trial and if the defendant didn't plead guilty we would need him to testify . The defendant did plead guilty and the owner never came to Newark to testify . A few months later I heard that Sal Briguglio was a suspect in Hoffas disappearance . Briguglio was the owner of the car . I hope my subpoena lying around his house didn't give suspicions to his confederates that he was cooperating with the law enforcement .

The other note Tony Pro, Anthony Provenzano, is decribed by one of his pals as a little -------------- . I laughed at that point . In the 90s I prosecuted his nephew for Racketeering and he was a little ----------- . The nephew even made a movie about the case with James Caan and some actors who were in the Sorpranos .

What was the name of the movie involving Tony Pro's nephew..?

By the way just as a side note Stephen Graham who played Tony Pro in The Irishman also played the young Al Capone in Boardwalk Empire.

TK

 

[HALL85]

Unlike most people I thought Goodfellas was a better movie than the Godfather trilogy . I enjoyed The Irishman but still prefer Goodfelllas . I thought Good fellas was more realistic . We had a cooperating mobster tell us that the Sopranos was the most realistic portrayal they had ever seen of mob life .

On 2 sidebars when I was a young detective in the Essex County Prosecutors Office I was assigned concerning a stolen car at Pals Cabin in West Orange . The perpetrator had been arrested and the case was coming to court . I spoke to the car's owner and explained the case was coming to trial and if the defendant didn't plead guilty we would need him to testify . The defendant did plead guilty and the owner never came to Newark to testify . A few months later I heard that Sal Briguglio was a suspect in Hoffas disappearance . Briguglio was the owner of the car . I hope my subpoena lying around his house didn't give suspicions to his confederates that he was cooperating with the law enforcement .

The other note Tony Pro, Anthony Provenzano, is decribed by one of his pals as a little -------------- . I laughed at that point . In the 90s I prosecuted his nephew for Racketeering and he was a little ----------- . The nephew even made a movie about the case with James Caan and some actors who were in the Sorpranos .

Goodfellas is a classic, but I give Godfather 1 & 2 a slight edge (3 was awful).

True story...my wife’s Aunt (actually wife of her dad’s brother), passed away several years ago and as we were going through belongings in her modest apartment, we found her baptismal certificate and her godfather was listed as Joe Bonano...imagine your godfather being the actual one that the movie depicted.

 

[SnakeTom]

Another classic movie of this type is "Casino".

Other mob movies I liked include A Bronx Tale, Once Upon a Time in America, Buggsy and The Road to Perdition.

TK

 

[rcodey]

The movie was This Thing of Ours . One of the worst movies I ever saw . Danny Pro, the nephew, went on the Jimmy Kimmel show to promote the movie . Kimmel asked him if he felt bad about all the people he assaulted and he replied that he didn't . At sentencing I played that part of the tape for the Judge . Danny Pro later had a small part in Real Housewives of New Jersey .

 

[Section112]

Saw it about 6 weeks ago. I thought Pesce was very good and gave a terrific performance. I enjoyed the refresh of all the history I had forgotten about Jimmy Hoffa and thought that was good. Pacino was good not great. I thought DeNiro was uninspiring and played the same character he has played in so many other movies. Frankly I thought he was not very good. The movie was too long by about an hour and doesn’t really deserve any awards. My test is will I watch it again. I won’t. I give it a 5 out of 10. For all the hype I was disappointed.

 

[Save Continental]

An understated Pesci was great to see. I thought he was the best of the main 3. I think De Niro's character was just a thug without anything particularly interesting behind him, other than being a shitty dad. I thought DeNiro played it fine but there just wasn't much to Frank Sheeran.

The CGI was a little off-putting at times, particularly with the blue eyes they gave DeNiro.

I agree with @Section112, I enjoyed it but doubt I will watch it again. It was great to see Pesci and De Niro together for probably the last time though.

 

[Save Continental]

On a separate note, watch the Netflix three part series The Mind of Aaron Hernandez this weekend. Thought it did a really good job covering his life and the various things that may have led to his downfall. They don’t suggest one particular thing contributed to his behavior, but what a mess.

How did the producers of the documentary get access to the phone conversation with the fiance/mom?

Did Aaron have to consent to the release of those?

 

[Section112]

Another classic movie of this type is "Casino".

Other mob movies I liked include A Bronx Tale, Once Upon a Time in America, Buggsy and The Road to Perdition.

TK

A Bronx Tale iMO is one of the most underrated movies ever.

 

[Hallsome]

A Bronx Tale iMO is one of the most underrated movies ever.

I could never rank Godfather 1 and 2 or goodfellas. Depends on mood. Many like Bronx tale and it indeed has great scenes it’s a little too straightforward. Casino or Departed are 4/5

 

[SnakeTom]

A Bronx Tale iMO is one of the most underrated movies ever.

I loved Bronx Tale. Saw all 3 versions also: The movie, Broadway play and the one man show with Chas Palmateri playing all parts.

The scene where the Hells Angels come into Sonny's bar is a classic. If any of you ever say History of Violence with Vigo Mortenson the diner scene is similar in that the 'bad guys" enter the bar or diner with no idea what/who they are dealing with.

Tom K

 

[SnakeTom]

I could never rank Godfather 1 and 2 or goodfellas. Depends on mood. Many like Bronx tale and it indeed has great scenes it’s a little too straightforward. Casino or Departed are 4/5

I forgot about the Departed. Yes that definitely belongs on the list also.

Tom K

 

[HALL85]

I loved Bronx Tale. Saw all 3 versions also: The movie, Broadway play and the one man show with Chas Palmateri playing all parts.

The scene where the Hells Angels come into Sonny's bar is a classic. If any of you ever say History of Violence with Vigo Mortenson the diner scene is similar in that the 'bad guys" enter the bar or diner with no idea what/who they are dealing with.

Tom K

Tom, I agree. That scene is a classic. I also saw the one man play on Broadway with Palmateri. A tribute to his acting ability to make it work considering the movie had a lot of cinematography that you don’t have to support the acting. We had great tickets for the show too, like 5th row.

Unfortunately Brancato tragically mirrored the character in his real life. Not to digress but one of Palmateri’s best roles was in The Usual Suspects.

 

[SnakeTom]

Not to digress but one of Palmateri’s best roles was in The Usual Suspects.

Agree about the Usual Suspects.

 

[SnakeTom]

Another movie that I had forgotten about but belongs on the list of superior mob movies is Donnie Brasco.

TK

 

[Hallsome]

Another movie that I had forgotten about but belongs on the list of superior mob movies is Donnie Brasco.

TK

Pacino was great

 

[MBF72]

Thought the news telecasts in the background provided a nice timeline, though the part with Howard Hunt was a tad forced. Di Niro's character knocking off both Joey Gallo and Hoffa was Forest Gump-like. If one believes Hoffa was wacked in Detroit.... so much of him being dumped in the Meadowlands. Liked Ray Ramono as the lawyer and the scenes around Umberto's in Little Italy.