The Irishman is deceptively existential, building quiet senses of regret and loneliness. At first, it seems like another Scorsese epic of corruption, power, racism, and politics, but the film digs into the vulnerable layers beneath these structures. It's almost juxtaposing how it finds tragic fragility, guilt, and isolation in these larger-than-life characters. This is all enhanced by the acting's sensitivity, sincerity, controlled intensity, internal conflicts, chemistry, patience, tension, layers, charisma, and physicality. There's also symbolism, foreshadowing, humor, complex drama, and subtextual dialogue. Thus, The Irishman is a sobering look at morality, humanity, and legacy.
The Irishman is deliberate, somber, observant, and cumulative. The effects offer pyrotechnics, makeup, violence, and debatable de-aging. Its deep cast has legends whose reputations are leveraged well. The sound adds narration, emphasis, split cuts, action, and smash cuts. Its imagery uses motion, composition, framing, angles, long takes, focus, lighting, and lines. The editing motivates a long runtime with inserts, flashbacks, montages, freeze frames, jump cuts, slo-mo, pace shifts, and contrast. Its timeless music supplies needle drops, moody motifs, bookends, and restraint. The production design provides elaborate eras and character traits. Overall, The Irishman is mature and understated.
Writing: 9/10
Direction: 10/10
Cinematography: 9/10
Acting: 10/10
Editing: 9/10
Sound: 8/10
Score/Soundtrack: 9/10
Production Design: 9/10
Casting: 10/10
Effects: 8/10
Overall Score: 9.1/10
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