One thing I noticed that seemed to really help with the film not 'feeling' its runtime was that there was no pointless explanations of certain things. Like the agents already being well instilled into the town before we even meet Tom White, or just a quick glance to the jury clearly showing accomplices sitting on it that lets you know that justice isn't about to be served. Its nice when a creative has even a modicum of trust in the consumer to figure things out on their own and doesn't weigh their work down with drivel.
Vince, I liked the Irishman more than you did. I appreciated that it was Scorsese looking back on his life and career. This was also Scorsese reflecting on privilege and power. It’s amazing he’s still doing such good work in his 80’s.
I really enjoyed how Scorsese extrapolated his gangster movie style to include both Western flourishes and suffuse it with the most dread and doom ive ever seen outside of a horror movie. Damned if i wouldnt have instead cast Dan Stevens and John Goodman though
DeNiro and DiCaprio in the South had to sit a bit longer for me to be immersed but i thought it was well cast otherwise. Bonus sighting: guy that played Zeke from The Death of Dick Long was one of the feds
I saw it in IMAX at the Chinese, just like Scorsese intended (no, I mean it! I wasn’t being sarcastic! Come back!) and couldn’t get over the feeling of inevitable dread.
Even the moment when Tom White comes to town one of the Osage darkly says the tribe had to give $20,000 (roughly $345,000 in 2023 dollars) to get an investigation.
In addition to hitting like a freight train, the radio show at the end was a terrific, original way to do the "what happened next" title cards we always get at the end of these kinds of movies.
Great movie, the most I've liked a Scorsese in over a decade. It was long without feeling slow or tedious - I appreciated how the length let you feel the weight of the accumulation of atrocities, and how goddamn long it was before anyone did ANYTHING. And I made it through the whole thing without having to pee, which hasn't happened for a three-hour movie since... maybe The Wolf Of Wall Street, actually.
Movies over a certain length should have fewer trailers/commercials. I was at a Marcus theater, which normally isn't too bad on trailers, and generally doesn't have commercials, but there was an iPhone commercial after the trailers, and then Marty introducing the movie. All told that added a solid 25 minutes to the time everyone was sitting there, so a couple hours in a number of people around me apparently forgot that they could be seen or heard because suddenly they were adjusting the recline on their chairs (which seemed louder than normal) and I'm pretty sure for 60% of the runtime someone's phone was making the jingle noise facebook does when there's a notification and you aren't smart enough to turn that setting off.
I guess I should have waited to see it at Alamo rather than just the best available time at any other theater.
Totally agree with this. I also heard someone said that it had an intermission in it, so I sat there holding my pee like an idiot thinking there was gonna be one and barely made it to the end.
Love this, Vince. And I’m still reeling from seeing this Friday night. Is it ever stated in the book what exactly they’re putting in her shots to “slow her down”?
No, and Burkhart never copped to knowing anything about it. All they know is that as soon as Mollie got away from Ernest, she instantly started getting better.
I forgot this bit in the review, but I do like that he managed to fail the prisoner's dilemma worse than anyone in history. Confessed for immunity, recanted for his uncle's protection, recanted his recantation and lost both.
Not to sound like an old hipster contrarian but many of the Scorsese films don't really call to me. If that makes sense. Goodfellas and Casino are a iconic but I struggle to re-watch them. Maybe it's a lack of interest in finding "mafia" stuff all that alluring. I do really like the Aviator and Shutter Island though.
But this is really compelling. There's something about the early 1900s where most of the country is still frontier-ish but with recognizable modern technologies. That transition from old to new. Good write up. Looking forward to watching this.
Yeah, I know. It's just something I have about crime syndicate films/tv. Gaudy meatheads being tacky and angry but having to adhere to a made up code of conduct. Maybe it's the italian-american 1970s stereotype?
One thing I noticed that seemed to really help with the film not 'feeling' its runtime was that there was no pointless explanations of certain things. Like the agents already being well instilled into the town before we even meet Tom White, or just a quick glance to the jury clearly showing accomplices sitting on it that lets you know that justice isn't about to be served. Its nice when a creative has even a modicum of trust in the consumer to figure things out on their own and doesn't weigh their work down with drivel.
Vince, I liked the Irishman more than you did. I appreciated that it was Scorsese looking back on his life and career. This was also Scorsese reflecting on privilege and power. It’s amazing he’s still doing such good work in his 80’s.
I love tiny, adorable Italian film grandpa
I really enjoyed how Scorsese extrapolated his gangster movie style to include both Western flourishes and suffuse it with the most dread and doom ive ever seen outside of a horror movie. Damned if i wouldnt have instead cast Dan Stevens and John Goodman though
If you mean them in the Brendan Fraser and John Lithgow roles I agree.
DeNiro and DiCaprio in the South had to sit a bit longer for me to be immersed but i thought it was well cast otherwise. Bonus sighting: guy that played Zeke from The Death of Dick Long was one of the feds
DiCaprio basically played a nepotism hire middle manager and played it so well.
Also, the radio play was so perfect I didn’t even realize Jack White was on there.
I saw it in IMAX at the Chinese, just like Scorsese intended (no, I mean it! I wasn’t being sarcastic! Come back!) and couldn’t get over the feeling of inevitable dread.
Even the moment when Tom White comes to town one of the Osage darkly says the tribe had to give $20,000 (roughly $345,000 in 2023 dollars) to get an investigation.
In addition to hitting like a freight train, the radio show at the end was a terrific, original way to do the "what happened next" title cards we always get at the end of these kinds of movies.
Great movie, the most I've liked a Scorsese in over a decade. It was long without feeling slow or tedious - I appreciated how the length let you feel the weight of the accumulation of atrocities, and how goddamn long it was before anyone did ANYTHING. And I made it through the whole thing without having to pee, which hasn't happened for a three-hour movie since... maybe The Wolf Of Wall Street, actually.
“Manifest Destiny personified” is a wonderful and apt analogy.
Movies over a certain length should have fewer trailers/commercials. I was at a Marcus theater, which normally isn't too bad on trailers, and generally doesn't have commercials, but there was an iPhone commercial after the trailers, and then Marty introducing the movie. All told that added a solid 25 minutes to the time everyone was sitting there, so a couple hours in a number of people around me apparently forgot that they could be seen or heard because suddenly they were adjusting the recline on their chairs (which seemed louder than normal) and I'm pretty sure for 60% of the runtime someone's phone was making the jingle noise facebook does when there's a notification and you aren't smart enough to turn that setting off.
I guess I should have waited to see it at Alamo rather than just the best available time at any other theater.
Totally agree with this. I also heard someone said that it had an intermission in it, so I sat there holding my pee like an idiot thinking there was gonna be one and barely made it to the end.
"Vince?" Matt called as Vince hurried away, bowling over theater goers to get out of the aisle and the theater, yelling "GET OUT OF MY WAY GODDAMIT!!"
Matt looked at Vince's seat and noticed a few fuzzy peaches still in the bag. "Hell yeah dude" he said to no-one in particular.
Picturing you literally holding your pee in your hands because you couldn't make it to the bathroom in time.
All movies start like 20-25 minutes after start time here so I just show up 20 minutes late. The benefit of reserved seats.
Love this, Vince. And I’m still reeling from seeing this Friday night. Is it ever stated in the book what exactly they’re putting in her shots to “slow her down”?
No, and Burkhart never copped to knowing anything about it. All they know is that as soon as Mollie got away from Ernest, she instantly started getting better.
But he seemed like such a swell fella!
I forgot this bit in the review, but I do like that he managed to fail the prisoner's dilemma worse than anyone in history. Confessed for immunity, recanted for his uncle's protection, recanted his recantation and lost both.
A real moron’s moron. Leo displaying his true Himbo nature has led to some of the best work of his career this past decade, imo. On full display here.
Not to sound like an old hipster contrarian but many of the Scorsese films don't really call to me. If that makes sense. Goodfellas and Casino are a iconic but I struggle to re-watch them. Maybe it's a lack of interest in finding "mafia" stuff all that alluring. I do really like the Aviator and Shutter Island though.
But this is really compelling. There's something about the early 1900s where most of the country is still frontier-ish but with recognizable modern technologies. That transition from old to new. Good write up. Looking forward to watching this.
Thanks, but also, that is wild to me! Goodfellas and Casino are movies that I'll flip past on TV and end up watching for an hour.
Yeah, I know. It's just something I have about crime syndicate films/tv. Gaudy meatheads being tacky and angry but having to adhere to a made up code of conduct. Maybe it's the italian-american 1970s stereotype?