The Irishman (2011)

Back in 2004, Jonathan Hensleigh wrote and directed a solid modern take on the classic "The Punisher" comic, starring Thomas. It had its flaws, sure, but it actually nailed the essence of the character. Fast forward to 2008, and we got the much bloodier, more brutal reboot "Punisher: War Zone," which Lexi Alexander directed with Ray Stevenson stepping into the vigilante role.
This time, the director from the first flick and the lead from the second have teamed up—not for another superhero movie, but for a gritty gangster thriller called The Irishman. It’s based on true events and follows the life of mobster Danny Greene, played by Stevenson. Hensleigh handled both directing and writing here, and he managed to pull together a massive cast of heavy hitters. We're talking Christopher Walken, Val Kilmer, Vinnie Jones, Paul Sorvino, Marcus Thomas, Vincent Donofrio, Linda Cardellini, Bob Gunton, Laura Ramsey, Mike Starr, Tony LoBianco, Vinnie Vella, Steve Schirippa, Jason Butler Harner, Robert Davi, and Fionnula Flanagan. Most of them are absolute legends in the crime genre. The film is set to premiere on March 11, 2011.



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Trailer tagline: Based on the real story of a mobster. The Irishman chronicles the rise and fall of an infamous Cleveland gangster Danny Greene (Ray Stevenson), who engaged in a power struggle with the Italian mob. Greene was as an upstart longshoreman union rep and later became a cocky, legendarily difficult-to-kill troublemaker in the world of organized crime in the 1970s.

Anthony Smith3 said:The movie definitely has its own specific theme, but honestly, it feels like we've already seen this exact story told a dozen times before...

Well, I disagree. 🙂

I mean, seriously, look at that cast! 🙏

It's about the Irish mafia—because who doesn't love a good, bloody tale about the Irish mob?

Does anyone have thoughts on Stander? 😁

William Lee34 said:Stander, anyone? 😁

Yeah... that movie crossed my mind too. But if I remember right, Stander was actually a pretty decent flick, wasn't it?

Watching who exactly?

goldenhound32 said:Wait, who actually watched this? Seriously...

Watched it last night... honestly, it wasn't half bad. I mean, look, it definitely could have been better—there were moments where it felt like it was dragging—but what's done is done. At the end of the day, it’s based on a true story, and I guess that’s why I didn't totally hate it... 😁

Taylor Brown said:Watched it last night. It wasn't exactly a masterpiece—it certainly could have landed much harder—but I suppose it is what it is. Still, there's something to be said for the fact that it’s based on a true story. That alone kept me from turning it off. 😁

What does "based on a true story" even matter here? It’s a binary equation: either the film is well-made, or it isn't. Everything else is just noise. 🙂

I'm curious about one specific detail... does anyone happen to know how many cars were totaled during the filming of this movie? Thanks in advance... I'd also be happy if someone could tell me how many were blown up in the film itself, since I didn't bother counting... after a while, I just started wondering about the numbers. 🙂

I caught this the other day... Ray Stevenson delivered a powerhouse performance; I particularly appreciated how he portrayed the mounting pressure of those debts 😁 the cast is incredibly solid as well... while I was secretly hoping for a slightly more impactful film, all things considered, it’s unlikely to be a disappointment...

And let's be honest, his wife working as a waitress? She’s a total catch div>

It feels kind of pointless, honestly... the whole movie just boils down to this endless loop where you kill him, then he comes after you, then you take him out again, and it just keeps circling back on itself. I guess they put all the focus on the main guy, which makes everyone else feel pretty thin and one-dimensional. And, if I'm being honest, maybe Val Kilmer has just seen better days.