# The Irishman

> 2019 film directed by Martin Scorsese

**Wikidata**: [Q29057443](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q29057443)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Irishman)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/the-irishman

## Summary
The Irishman is a 2019 film directed by Martin Scorsese that tells the story of Frank Sheeran, a mob hitman who claims to have assassinated Jimmy Hoffa. The film stars Robert De Niro, Al Pacino, and Joe Pesci in a crime drama that explores themes of loyalty, betrayal, and organized crime in mid-20th century America.

## Key Facts
- **Release Date**: November 1, 2019 (first publication), with additional release dates on November 27, 2019, November 14, 2019, September 27, 2019, and November 21, 2019
- **Director**: Martin Scorsese
- **IMDb ID**: tt1302006
- **Runtime**: 209 minutes (3 hours and 29 minutes)
- **Budget**: $159,000,000
- **Box Office Gross**: $885,600
- **Country of Origin**: United States
- **Genres**: Crime film, drama film, epic film, gangster film, biographical film, period drama film, thriller film, historical film
- **Alternative Titles**: I Heard You Paint Houses, Irishman
- **Production Company**: Sikelia Productions
- **Record Label**: Sony Music
- **Awards**: National Board of Review: Top Ten Films, National Board of Review Award for Best Film
- **Critical Reception**: 95% approval rating, 8.8/10 average score, 94/100 Metacritic score, 7.8/10 user rating
- **Cast**: Robert De Niro, Al Pacino, Joe Pesci, Harvey Keitel
- **Based on**: "I Heard You Paint Houses" by Charles Brandt
- **Sitelink Count**: 52 Wikipedia language editions
- **Twitter Handle**: @TheIrishmanFilm
- **Instagram**: theirishmanfilm
- **Facebook**: TheIrishmanFilm

## FAQs
**What is The Irishman based on and what is its source material?**
The Irishman is based on the book "I Heard You Paint Houses" by Charles Brandt. The film adapts the true crime story of Frank Sheeran, a truck driver who became a mob hitman and allegedly assassinated Jimmy Hoffa.

**Who are the main actors in The Irishman and what are their roles?**
The main cast includes Robert De Niro as Frank Sheeran, Al Pacino as Jimmy Hoffa, Joe Pesci as Russell Bufalino, and Harvey Keitel as Angelo Bruno. These actors are all renowned for their work in crime and drama films.

**What genres does The Irishman belong to and how is it classified?**
The Irishman is classified as a crime film, drama film, epic film, gangster film, biographical film, period drama film, thriller film, and historical film. This multi-genre classification reflects its complex narrative spanning multiple decades of American history.

**What awards did The Irishman receive and what was its critical reception?**
The film received recognition from the National Board of Review as one of the Top Ten Films and won the National Board of Review Award for Best Film. Critics gave it a 95% approval rating with scores of 8.8/10 and 94/100 on Metacritic.

**What is the runtime and budget of The Irishman?**
The Irishman has a runtime of 209 minutes (approximately 3 hours and 29 minutes) and was produced with a budget of $159,000,000, making it one of the most expensive films directed by Martin Scorsese.

## Why It Matters
The Irishman matters as Martin Scorsese's magnum opus on organized crime, bringing together his lifelong exploration of American criminal culture in a single epic narrative. The film represents the culmination of Scorsese's decades-long collaboration with Robert De Niro and marks a significant reunion with Al Pacino, two of cinema's most iconic actors. It tackles one of America's most enduring mysteries—the disappearance of labor union leader Jimmy Hoffa—while examining themes of aging, mortality, and moral accountability in the context of organized crime.

The film's significance extends beyond entertainment, as it presents a historical account of the relationship between organized crime and labor unions in mid-20th century America. Through its portrayal of Frank Sheeran's alleged involvement in multiple murders and his connection to the disappearance of Jimmy Hoffa, the film offers commentary on power, corruption, and the price of loyalty. The Irishman also represents a technical achievement in filmmaking, utilizing de-aging technology to show characters across multiple decades, pushing the boundaries of what's possible in cinema.

For the film industry, The Irishman serves as a bridge between traditional cinema and streaming platforms, as it was produced by Netflix and represents the evolution of how major films reach audiences. It demonstrates that prestige filmmaking can thrive outside traditional theatrical distribution models, potentially reshaping the industry's approach to funding and distributing large-scale productions.

## Notable For
- Bringing together three of cinema's most acclaimed actors: Robert De Niro, Al Pacino, and Joe Pesci in the same film for the first time
- Martin Scorsese's return to the crime genre after more than a decade, following films like The Departed and Shutter Island
- Utilizing cutting-edge de-aging technology to show characters across multiple decades of their lives
- Being one of the most expensive Netflix original films ever produced at $159 million
- Featuring a runtime of 209 minutes, making it one of the longest major studio releases in recent years
- Reuniting director Martin Scorsese with Robert De Niro for their ninth collaboration
- Being based on a controversial book that claims to solve the Jimmy Hoffa disappearance mystery
- Receiving recognition from the National Board of Review as one of the year's top ten films
- Serving as a capstone to Scorsese's crime filmography that began with Mean Streets in 1973
- Featuring an ensemble cast of veteran actors known for their work in organized crime films

## Body
### Production and Creative Vision
The Irishman represents Martin Scorsese's ambitious return to the crime genre that made him famous, but with the perspective of an elder statesman of cinema. The film was produced by Sikelia Productions, Scorsese's own production company founded in 1989, and distributed by Netflix. The $159 million budget made it one of the most expensive films ever produced by the streaming service, reflecting the director's stature in the industry and the film's epic scope.

The production utilized revolutionary de-aging technology to allow the principal actors to portray their characters across multiple decades. This technical achievement was crucial to the film's narrative, which spans from the 1950s through the 2000s, showing the characters' progression from young men to elderly individuals. The technology allowed Robert De Niro, Al Pacino, and Joe Pesci to convincingly portray their characters at different ages without the need for younger actors.

### Cast and Character Dynamics
The film brings together an unprecedented ensemble of veteran actors, with Robert De Niro playing Frank Sheeran, a truck driver who becomes a hitman for the Bufalino crime family. Al Pacino portrays Jimmy Hoffa, the powerful Teamsters Union leader whose mysterious disappearance in 1975 forms the central mystery of the film. Joe Pesci plays Russell Bufalino, the crime boss who mentors Sheeran and connects him to organized crime.

Harvey Keitel appears as Angelo Bruno, another crime boss, continuing his long-standing collaboration with Scorsese that began with early films like Mean Streets. This cast represents some of the most accomplished actors in American cinema, each bringing decades of experience in crime and drama films to their roles.

### Source Material and Historical Context
Based on Charles Brandt's book "I Heard You Paint Houses," the film presents Sheeran's account of his involvement in organized crime and his alleged role in the disappearance of Jimmy Hoffa. The book, published in 2004, claimed to reveal the truth behind one of America's most enduring mysteries, though its accuracy has been disputed by historians and members of Hoffa's family.

The film explores the intersection of organized crime and labor unions in mid-20th century America, depicting how mob influence extended into legitimate businesses and political structures. This historical context provides the backdrop for the personal story of loyalty, betrayal, and moral compromise that defines the narrative.

### Technical Innovation and Visual Effects
The Irishman pioneered new techniques in digital de-aging, using a combination of LED panels and advanced CGI to make the actors appear younger. This technology was crucial to the film's success, as it allowed the story to unfold chronologically across decades without jarring transitions between different actors portraying the same character at different ages.

The visual effects were handled by Industrial Light & Magic, with the de-aging process requiring extensive post-production work that took over a year to complete. The technology represented a significant advancement in the field, potentially influencing future films that need to show characters across different time periods.

### Critical Reception and Cultural Impact
Upon release, The Irishman received widespread critical acclaim, earning a 95% approval rating and scores of 8.8/10 and 94/100 on major review aggregation sites. Critics praised the performances, Scorsese's direction, and the film's meditation on aging and mortality within the context of organized crime.

The film was recognized by the National Board of Review as one of the year's top ten films and won the National Board of Review Award for Best Film, highlighting its significance in the cinematic landscape of 2019. The recognition helped establish the film as a major awards contender despite its streaming platform release.

### Musical Score and Soundtrack
The film's musical score was produced under the Sony Music label, continuing the tradition of Scorsese's films featuring carefully curated soundtracks that enhance the narrative and emotional impact. The music serves to transport viewers through different decades, using period-appropriate songs to reinforce the historical setting.

### Distribution and Industry Impact
Released on Netflix in November 2019, The Irishman represented a significant moment in the evolution of film distribution, demonstrating that major prestige films could find homes on streaming platforms. The film's theatrical release was limited but preceded its streaming availability, allowing it to qualify for awards consideration while reaching a global audience through Netflix's platform.

The success of The Irishman paved the way for other major filmmakers to explore streaming platforms for their projects, potentially reshaping the relationship between traditional studios and streaming services. It proved that audiences would embrace lengthy, mature films on streaming platforms, challenging assumptions about how and when people consume cinema.

## References

1. [Source](https://theworldofmovies.com/the-irishman-movie-review-netflix/)
2. Česko-Slovenská filmová databáze
3. IMDb
4. [Source](https://apreci.org/premios-apreci/premios-al-cine-peruano-del-ano/)
5. The Movie Database
6. The Irishman. Rotten Tomatoes
7. [IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1302006/technical/)
8. [Source](http://nmhh.hu/dokumentum/198182/terjesztett_filmalkotasok_art_filmek_nyilvantartasa.xlsx)
9. BBC Things
10. [IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1302006/parentalguide/#certificates)
11. Google Knowledge Graph
12. [IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1302006/)
13. Entertainment Identifier Registry
14. [Source](http://www.kijkwijzer.nl/index.php?id=26&i=1506258)
15. [Source](http://www.kijkwijzer.nl/index.php?id=26&i=1507665)
16. [Source](https://www.eirin.jp/list/index.php?s_year=2019&s_month=11&e_year=2019&e_month=11&pageID=2)
17. [Source](http://portal.mj.gov.br/ClassificacaoIndicativa/jsps/DadosObraForm.do?select_action=&tbobra_codigo=75290)
18. ClassInd database
19. [Source](https://sede.mcu.gob.es/webicaa/Ficheros/167719/34/167719/1/209.pdf)
20. SoundtrackCollector
21. mymovies.it
22. Bechdel Test Movie List
23. Danish Film Database
24. [Source](https://golden.com/wiki/The_Irishman_(film)-6AXPD6W)
25. Trakt.tv
26. FilmVandaag.nl