Martin Scorsese's newest gangster saga THE IRISHMAN is currently in select theaters and in just over a week, subscribers to Netflix will have an opportunity to stream it for themselves. The film is already a massive hit with critics (Joblo's own Chris Bumbray among them) and currently boasts a 96% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes. In anticipation of the film's wide release, Netflix just dropped a final trailer for the film starring Robert De Niro, Joe Pesci, and Al Pacino. Here's the official synopsis for THE IRISHMAN:
Robert De Niro, Al Pacino and Joe Pesci star in Martin Scorsese’s THE IRISHMAN, an epic saga of organized crime in post-war America told through the eyes of World War II veteran Frank Sheeran, a hustler and hitman who worked alongside some of the most notorious figures of the 20th century. Spanning decades, the film chronicles one of the greatest unsolved mysteries in American history, the disappearance of legendary union boss Jimmy Hoffa, and offers a monumental journey through the hidden corridors of organized crime: its inner workings, rivalries and connections to mainstream politics.
While the trailer indicates that THE IRISHMAN will be another glorious return to the mob world for Martin Scorsese and company, it also promises to be so much more. The film strikes me as a reflection on the cost of being in the mob and the toll it takes on family, loved ones, and your own soul. Whereas both GOODFELLAS and CASINO highlighted the glamour of being in the mob, THE IRISHMAN looks like a meditative and somber look at life in organized crime.
Regardless, any time Martin Scorsese releases a film it's an event and THE IRISHMAN looks to be no different. I for one will be strapping myself in day one for Marty's latest feature. I can't wait to spend three and half hours in the presence of a master filmmaker.
THE IRISHMAN is currently available in limited release and will hit Netflix on November 27.