Story by Esperanza Garcia, Reporter
Photo courtesy imdb.com

It’s almost Christmas break, and you have time on your hands( a month to be exact), which makes it the best time to watch the movie that set the film community into mayhem. Martin Scorsese’s “The Irishman” takes place from the 1950s to the 70s, following the character Frank Sheeran, played by Robert DeNiro —alongside Al Pacino, Joe Pesci, and Ray Romano — as he recounts the time of his life as a mafia hitman. 

I will point out the main thing that can prevent you from watching the film —yes, it is long. Three hours and 29 minutes long to be exact. And yes, I do think it’s a bit much. However, “Endgame” is 3 hours and 2 minutes long, and factoring in the trailer running time and how long one waits in line for a snack, the experience most likely adds up to be 3 hours and 29 minutes anyways. Also, going back to the first point, it’s going to be Christmas break soon, we’ll have a month off from anything that could cause academic stress, so why not include this illustrious film (that also happens to be Scorsese’s best work right after “Shark Tales”) into your R&R time? And if you think, “Hey, maybe my attention span just isn’t made for this, I can’t focus on something longer than an hour.” Don’t worry, there’s a fix for that – and no, it’s not the way that Scorsese intended it to be viewed, but it is, nonetheless, a way around the length. Mobster genre isn’t your thing? That’s fine, watch it as a commentary on working class solidarity and brotherhood —and now you have a holiday film!

While “The Irishman” is an amazing film that showcases Scorsese’s talent for storytelling, it’s not a thriller or whodunnit that puts you in that constant state of fear or suspense. The film is, for all intents and purposes, a story. Think of it like you’re visiting an older relative and they’re telling you about all the stuff that they did when they were younger. It may not sound like it can be real, but it’s definitely plausible— except that older relative is Robert DeNiro. 

Re-watching movies or TV shows can be extremely peaceful, especially after exam season (I get that because I tend to do that too), but if you want to try something new during the break, and don’t want to go outside to the theater and go through all that ordeal, then “The Irishman” is definitely something you should give a chance.