The Irishman

This is a great production. You have to admire the thought and care that went into it. But it’s also an important landmark signaling the huge change in movie distribution and exhibition. Why did the studios pass on it? Why is a movie this big and star-studded on Netflix? Why isn’t there an intermission? Or why didn’t they divide it into two parts? The Oscars are still relevant, apparently, since Scorsese required the movie to be in theaters before streaming to qualify. When are the streamers and the theaters going to play nice and figure things out so as many eyeballs see the movie as possible?

Of the many notable features of the saga is the way the story truly spans a lifetime for these gangsters. Sure, plenty of movies (i.e. The Godfathers) depict gangsters as kids, growing up, getting sucked in or forced into a life of crime because that’s their best option. But there’s something about the way the filmmakers keep a constant thread here, finding a rhythm, repeating refrains, and showing the ice slowly melt away. It also functions as a history, teaching us about how powerful the gangsters were/are and how much US policy and American norms are dictated by gangsters who are only interested in power and lining their own pockets.

Accolades will be abundant and conversations will be had about theaters vs streaming. But it’s also a great drama critical of a certain kind of American experience in which shooting people in the face is the only way to get ahead.