What’s Going On?

In a crowded club, Tommy DeVito is telling a story, everyone is hanging on his every word, and the story involves a time he committed a crime and got arrested by the police. In the story, Tommy is beaten by the police but he continues to be rude and defiant to them. Everyone else is in hysterics in what is clearly meant to be a funny story. When Henry Hill makes the throwaway comment that Tommy is a “funny guy” the mood changes. Suddenly Tommy is upset and thinks Henry is mocking him. Henry stumbles as he tries to explain what he meant, while other members of the group try and calm things down. Just as Tommy seems on the verge of violence Henry starts laughing and the tension is gone – Tommy was joking. A moment later after a discussion about paying his tab, Tommy smashes a bottle over the head of the owner, again to riotous laughter, and not just from his own friends but from many of the other patrons. When Tommy comes back once again he calls Tommy “a funny guy” leading to more mock anger from Tommy.

Tommy DeVito

This is one of the first scenes we see as Henry and Tommy as adults, having seen them as youngsters as they started working for the mob. This scene sets up the whole of the film for Tommy DeVito. He’s impulsive, he’s reckless, he’s scary and he might be a little crazy. When he is intimidating Henry the group seems to have a genuine fear that this will end in violence; that attacking a childhood friend over nothing is exactly the sort of thing Tommy might do. A moment later Tommy does attack the club owner, someone well known to them all, but no one tries to calm Tommy down. In fact, this horrific event does nothing to spoil the mood, showcasing this level of casual violence against someone outside of their group is entirely normal. Like many people of my generation, my introduction to Joe Pesci was Home Alone, the silly slapstick-violence home invasion children’s film, and it was some time before I discovered the other side to Joe Pesci’s career.

Pesci is amazing in this scene. As is pointed out throughout the film, he is short, not immediately physically imposing, but he relentlessly and effectively portrays Tommy as extremely intimidating. The story he is telling is funny and charming and with moments of self-deprecation – and when I say funny and charming that is how his friends are perceiving it, they are in riotous laughter. Tommy’s short temper is clearly not only dangerous for other people but a liability in a criminal enterprise. But none of them seems to care, at worst, they see it as a minor character flaw.

Like a clown? I amuse you?

I have long thought about why someone saying “you’re a funny guy” could ever be construed as an insult. And I think it’s a question of what you are as opposed to what you can do – Tommy can tell a funny story, that’s an admirable talent, but to be funny, to be laughed at (even if you’re attempting to make people laugh) is weak and pathetic. Tommy is not funny. He is scary, he is tough, he is to be feared and respected. The outburst of violence at the club owner is about Tommy not feeling respected. The waiter is nervous to bring him the bill because…well because he smashes bottles over people, and that’s when he’s in a good mood.

How scared is Henry?

It would be interesting to know whether Henry always knew Tommy was joking or if he only worked it out at the end, or if indeed he had no idea but could see that as the only way out. Henry certainly looks scared, those around him look concerned, and again, Henry is one of Tommy’s closest friends. The stress that mounts on Henry throughout the film is evident here – not only does he have to worry about rival criminals and the police, he can’t be completely sure his best friend won’t attack him with a bottle.

The scene is a few minutes of outright brilliance and does much to set the tone for the rest of the film. In many scenes, happy get-togethers and fun gatherings descend into violence or intimidation with little provocation or it’s clear that violence is only a poorly chosen word away.

Also Read: The Many Films of Martin Scorsese

Your contribution to Big Picture Film Club will allow us to continue to produce content. No matter the amount your contributions are greatly appreciated.

The post Iconic Scenes: Goodfellas – “Funny, How?” appeared first on Big Picture Film Club.

What’s Going On?

The Irishman follows the life of Frank Sheeran (Robert De Niro) from meat-delivery driver to well… not in the Mafia, but certainly doing a lot of work for them, after all, he’s Irish, not Sicilian. Frank is effectively brought into this life by Russel Buffalino (Joe Pesci) a high up person in the Mafia. Frank does a lot of work for him up to and including killing people. After a few years, Russel sends Frank to watch over Jimmy Hoffa (Al Pacino), head of the Teamsters union and very much in business with the Mafia. The film follows the course of this relationship and especially how Frank is pulled in opposite directions because of his friendships with Russel and Hoffa.

Behind The Scenes

I’m sure this isn’t a surprise to anyone – the director is Martin Scorsese, certainly one of the best directors alive if not one of the best directors ever. And this is a crime movie with an incredible cast, hardly unfamiliar territory for Scorsese. He’s already directed what in my opinion is the best Mafia movie ever – Goodfellas and expectations are high.

In Front Of The Camera

First, there is the key trio of De Niro, Pesci and Pacino, and already that’s amazing. De Niro is the narrator and gives an excellent performance especially as things become strained as the film goes on. Pesci, normally known for his wild, unpredictable and maybe a little crazy criminal characters plays against type as a very calm and, for the mafia, reasonable man. However, it’s Pacino who I think gives the best performance. Hoffa is a man surrounded by criminals, murderers even, and never bats an eyelid. He will argue with them, he will insult them, he’ll get in fistfights with them. He’s a larger than life character and you can see how he ended up union president.

Outside of those three roles, the cast is still full of diamonds. Actors like Bobby Cannavale, Stephen Graham, Jesse Plemons, Anna Paquin, Harvey Keitel and Ray Romano taking on small roles. I was convinced that Plemons was going to go through the movie and not actually have a line. Paquin, and indeed the child actors who play her characters, are excellent and act almost like the conscience of the film, judging the bad people around her, including her father Frank Sheeran. At one point Paquin says a single word that seems to break Sheeran.

Historical Note – Jimmy Hoffa & The Teamsters Union

Jimmy Hoffa was a very famous person in America, and in many ways still is, and I don’t think there will be a person in America who doesn’t already know where the story is heading and Scorsese made this film knowing that. I only knew of Hoffa from references to him in American film and TV but didn’t really understand who he was or what happened to him. After all, union bosses don’t tend to be that famous. Again, I’ve heard of “teamsters” but didn’t really know what that was but it’s enough to say this was the largest union in America at the time, giving Hoffa an incredible amount of power and influence, and in looking after their pension fund, access to literally billions of dollars. My perhaps controversial opinion is you look Hoffa up on Wikipedia before you watch the film.

He Looks Good For His Age

The film shows these characters at various stages of their life Scorsese employed some clever de-ageing special effects which I thought were flawless.

Does It Work?

My expectations for The Irishman were very high, not only is Scorsese one of my favourite directors many of the early reviews were saying that was his best film in a long time. Personally I would put this in the second-tier of Scorsese films, with Gangs of New York and The Departed, it’s great but not quite up there with his best. Let’s be clear, it’s a great film, it’s three and a half hours long and keeps you engaged throughout, the acting is all first-rate and is full of brilliant little flourishes – one scene of a person having to psych themselves up to start their car as they were worried it might explode was one such moment. But I was a little disappointed and perhaps thought it was a mistake for Scorsese to return to territory he has already thoroughly explored. I am a big fan of Wolf of Wall Street and see it as a kind of Goodfellas for a different sort of crime and was a good move for him and I think maybe another gangster film wasn’t the best use of Scorsese’s time and talent.

That said if this was a film by virtually any other director I would only be singing it’s praises and really the only problem is it’s Martin Scorsese so you’re hoping for a masterpiece.

Even before this film, the debate about are Netflix films proper films was surely settled and this just adds to the argument that they are. They’ve made everything from Oscar-winning drama like Roma to fantasy special effects-laden frippery like Bright, not everything is gold but the same is true for every studio.

Rating: (4 / 5)

Also Read: For Your Consideration: Sci-Fi, Comedy & Oscar Snubs

The post Review: The Irishman appeared first on Big Picture Film Club.