Masterful crime epic “The Irishman” is Scorsese at his finest.

Legendary filmmaker Martin Scorsese comes to Netflix with the crime drama, The Irishman. The film follows Frank Sheehan (Robert De Niro) as he makes his way up the ladder as a hit man leading him to work for the powerful Jimmy Hoffa (Al Pachino).

De Niro. Pachino. Pesci. Scorsese.

You couldn’t ask for a better dream team to tackle this production. The Irishman is more than your average mob drama. It is a complex character study, watching Frank journey down the rabbit hole into a world of violence, ambition and greed.

Scorsese has always been one of the most masterful filmmakers. With The Irishman, he has meticulously crafted a detailed and gripping cinematic experience. It is a culmination of all of his best crime films and perhaps one of his most crowning achievements.

I will admit, the 209 minute run time was a bit much for me. I think the pacing dragged a bit in the third act, but as Frank neared the melancholy end of his life, I guess that makes sense.

The performances are absolutely masterful. De Niro is a strong lead however it is Pachino who commands the screen. His performance as Hoffa is pure electricity. His undeniable charisma and power is extraordinary. Pesci is also dynamite onscreen.

The CGI de-aging process did not bother me as it did for other critics. Was it perfect? No. But it worked. It kind of looked like bad plastic surgery. To be honest, De Niro’s fake blue contacts or the horrid hair piece for Pachino were a little more distracting.

The film is perfection however, I wish could have enjoyed The Irishman in a theatre instead of my living room — especially with a daunting run time.

This will continue to be my biggest struggle with films released on Netflix. It’s just something I’m going to have to get used to. But yes, it did hinder my experience with The Irishman a little. And I guess that’s a conversation for another day.

But one thing is certain — The Irishman is definitely going to be playing a role during awards season.

Final Thoughts: The Irishman is a fascinating crime epic. Just make sure nothing too distracting is going on when you view it at home.