The Irishman (2019)
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An elderly hitman reflects on his life of crime and the consequences of his actions in this sprawling epic.
The story
In a nursing home, elderly Irish American World War II veteran Frank Sheeran narrates his time as a hitman for the Italian-American Mafia. The story begins in 1950s Philadelphia, where Sheeran works as a union delivery truck driver. After being accused of theft, he is introduced to the Bufalino crime family and begins performing contract killings, known as "painting houses." He eventually becomes the chief bodyguard for Jimmy Hoffa, the powerful head of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters. As the decades pass, Sheeran navigates the complex and dangerous relationships between the labor unions and the organized crime families that influence them.
Full plot (contains spoilers)
In a nursing home, elderly Irish American World War II veteran Frank Sheeran narrates his life as a hitman for the Italian-American Mafia. In 1950s Philadelphia, Sheeran works as a union delivery truck driver and begins selling meat shipments to a local gangster. After a legal dispute, he is introduced to Russell Bufalino, who recruits him for contract killings. Sheeran eventually becomes the bodyguard for Jimmy Hoffa, the powerful head of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters. The narrative spans decades, following Hoffa's rise and fall, his imprisonment, and the shifting dynamics of the mob. In 1973, Russell Bufalino urges Sheeran to confront Hoffa regarding his growing independence from the Mafia. In 1975, the mob orders Sheeran to kill Hoffa. Sheeran lures Hoffa to a meeting and shoots him at point-blank range. Following the murder, Sheeran and others are eventually incarcerated on various charges. In his final years, a frail Sheeran resides in a nursing home, attempting to reconcile with his estranged daughters while seeking absolution from a priest.
- Original title
- I Heard You Paint Houses
- First release year
- 2019
- Runtime (minutes)
- 209
- Production countries
- United States
- Original languages
- English
- Directors
- Martin Scorsese
- Writers
- Steven Zaillian · screenplay
- Cast and characters
- Robert De Niro · Frank Sheeran; Al Pacino · Jimmy Hoffa; Joe Pesci · Russell Bufalino; Harvey Keitel · Angelo Bruno; Anna Paquin · Peggy; Ray Romano · not specified; Bobby Cannavale · not specified; Stephen Graham · not specified
- Genres
- epic gangster film; biographical film; crime drama
- Themes
- Aging and loneliness; Deep regret; The consequences of violence; The passage of time; The nature of death
- Tone and mood
- contemplative; somber; epic
- Premise and plot tags
- biographical; crime; historical; true crime; unreliable narrator
- Source material / true-story basis
- I Heard You Paint Houses by Charles Brandt
- Content notes
- violence
- Reception
- The film received widespread critical acclaim, with praise for Scorsese's direction, the production and costume design, editing, screenplay, cinematography, and the performances of De Niro, Pacino and Pesci.
- Reported review scores
- Metacritic · score: 94 · scale: 100 · review count: 55
- Awards and nominations
- Best Film · National Board of Review · 2019 · Win
- Production trivia
- The film is the longest in Martin Scorsese's career.; The film features extensive de-aging digital effects for the lead actors.; The film was the first to ever screen in the Belasco Theatre's 112-year history.
Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.
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