The first time I watched I Heard You Paint Houses aka The Irishman (2019) was in a cinema thanks to The Backlot. When it ended, I felt like I had lived a lifetime and my head was heavy like a brick. Second viewing was weeks later on Netflix and it’s a long epic that carries you along and wears you out, but I feel that’s part of the point. It’s Martin Scorsese revisiting that world of the mob but digging into and going all the way with the consequences, bringing along that sense of contemplation and introspection that was key to one of his more religious dramas like Silence. It’s also observational, funny, stylish, carefully structured and ultimately moving. The de-aging stuff can be a bit weird at the start but after awhile, it’s all about the characterisations and performances of the trio – De Niro, Pacino, Pesci – how they bring what you expect of them as actors but also surprise you this time around. Anyway, I love this movie and think it’s definitely one of the year’s best. Recommended.
VHS Tracking 