Best Picture Nominees—The Irishman


The Academy Awards take place Sunday, February 9. In the run up to that presentation, I'll be previewing each of the nine Best Picture Nominees.

The Irishman
Starring: Robert De Niro, Joe Pesci, Al Pacino, Harvey Keitel, Ray Romano, and Bobby Cannavale
Directed By: Martin Scorsese
Total Nominations: 10
Nominated For: Best Picture, Best Supporting Actor (Pacino), Best Supporting Actor (Pesci), Best Director (Scorsese), Best Adapted Screenplay (Steve Zallian), Best Cinematography, Best Costume Design, Best Production Design, Best Film Editing, Best Visual Effects
About: This was a big get for Netflix, which got Scorsese to deliver them a film that has been one of the year's most nominated. And it was exciting to see De Niro, Pesci and Pacino in a Scorsese film, even in 2019. This is a long commitment, running three and a half hours. But it's a fascinating story, one that reminds the audience of classic films like "Goodfellas" and "Casino." I don't think it's as a good as "Goodfellas," but it's a well-made film. The question is what, if any, awards will it win. It's rare to get a prestige film in the Visual Effects race, but a lot of the effect for "The Irishman" relied on de-aging technology. So it could win in that category. Scorsese is still a big name, so it's possible he wins in the directing category, but I think Sam Mendes is a better bet. Similarly, I don't think this one wins Best Picture, and I think Pacino and Pesci are unlikely to win the Best Supporting Actor nods. Zallian also feels like a bit of an outside shot in the screenplay category. Production Design, Cinematography and Costume Design are all possible, as is editing, but I wouldn't consider this film a front-runner in any category. "The Irishman" was a big nominee at the Golden Globes and went home empty handed, so that could well be the case here, too. Nevertheless, with this and "Marriage Story" Netflix has become quite a player at the Oscars.
Rating: R for pervasive language and strong violence.

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