It certainly didn't need to be three and a half hours long. As great as it was to see De Niro, Pesci, Pacino and Keitel together, they are all in their 70s now but spend the majority of the film playing 30-40 year-olds. So while you can de-age their faces (to a degree), they still move like old men. Pesci keeps calling De Niro 'kid' when he looks about 50, and in one scene a 30-40 year old De Niro is beating a guy up, and I was concerned he was about to put his hip out.
Steve, you've just said everything I was thinking. The film was HUGELY hampered by very old men trying to portray guys in their 30s and 40s. I found it so distracting. Particularly during the scene with the corner shop owner, but pretty much throughout. I'm afraid I'm going to have to be of the opinion that younger actors should have occupied these roles, then aged up for certain scenes. As much as I respct these guys, they were all poorly cast.
The problem is Cas that I know what Pacino, De Niro, Keitel and Pesci look like as younger men, so the de-aging is never believable. However the real problem is the complete lack of energy from all concerned, even Scorsese's direction felt flat. It was like the entire film was tired and out of breath, with a bunch of very old men trying to recreate their glory days. It was fantastic to see them all together again, especially Pesci who was absolutely brilliant, but I wish they'd picked a subject where they could simply play closer to their actual ages for the entire story.Hmmm, I see your point, but I think the difficulty is that who would that younger cast be?
As much as I like Bobby Cannavale and Stephen Graham, they're hardly replacements for De Niro and Pesci, which was perhaps even more obvious here. If they perfected the technology though, then the answer is yes, I'd prefer to watch De Niro, Pacino, Keitel and Pesci in action as opposed to anybody else I can think of. And even if this is their last time around the block in something epic, it's a nice bookend.
Hmmm, I see your point, but I think the difficulty is that who would that younger cast be?
As much as I like Bobby Cannavale and Stephen Graham, they're hardly replacements for De Niro and Pesci, which was perhaps even more obvious here. If they perfected the technology though, then the answer is yes, I'd prefer to watch De Niro, Pacino, Keitel and Pesci in action as opposed to anybody else I can think of. And even if this is their last time around the block in something epic, it's a nice bookend.
....
Of course, it's not at all helped by the fact that I have always thought Al Pacino to be one of the worst actors in the history of American cinema. That's no different here. I actually thought he would never supercede the sheer badness of the scene in Heat where he interrogates Ricky Harris in the junkyard, but I think The Irishman provides a new contender – the one where he's chewing out his lackies. I wanted to cover my eyes and I cringed so hard a little bit of sick came up.
I think there are any number of younger actors who could have better filled these shoes. They don't need to be Italian-American – just look at Stephen Graham playing Tony Pro. He's from Lancashire!
I think they were cast for reasons of misplaced nostalgia. And I wouldn't be complaining if I didn't think their age hugely hampered the ability to suspend disbelief, but it did. I found myself watching nothing but these old bodies pretending to be young bodies and performances made bizarre and off-putting by the digital treatments applied to their faces.
Of course, it's not at all helped by the fact that I have always thought Al Pacino to be one of the worst actors in the history of American cinema. That's no different here. I actually thought he would never supercede the sheer badness of the scene in Heat where he interrogates Ricky Harris in the junkyard, but I think The Irishman provides a new contender – the one where he's chewing out his lackies. I wanted to cover my eyes and I cringed so hard a little bit of sick came up.
Well, no. I genuiney believe he is a terrible actor. I'm not alone there. It is widely believed by a great many, but like Cas just said, perhaps this comes down to personal taste. He's too much for me.Oh.... I mean oh wow.
I gets its subjective, but.... Really? Or hyperbole?
You didn't just Dis the Flash did you?!!
Well, no. I genuiney believe he is a terrible actor. I'm not alone there. It is widely believed by a great many, but like Cas just said, perhaps this comes down to personal taste. He's too much for me.
"Widely believed by a great many"Well, no. I genuiney believe he is a terrible actor. I'm not alone there. It is widely believed by a great many, but like Cas just said, perhaps this comes down to personal taste. He's too much for me.
"Widely believed by a great many"