I started to watch this again last night and I personally think its a masterpiece. Deniro will get an Oscar nomination for sure.
I do agree that the CGI wasn't the best but didn't take anything away from the film. This film was a Deniro project to start of with and has been in the making for over 12 years and I for sure am glad its now available.
Jimmy Hoffa: Who's gonna be there?
Frank Sheehan: Everybody.
Jimmy Hoffa: Tony, Tony, Tony, Tony, and Tony, huh?
It's very likely to get at least nominations, especially given the generally very strong reviews.
The risk with such an all star cast was that expectations ran ahead, and this seems to be the case here.
The Irishman was never going to be the rock and roll ride of his earlier films. Scorsese has recently made dynamic films, be Wolf of Wall Street or Departed, so he's well capable and it's fair to assume he's made his intended film with the Irishman.
That a more subdued, contemplative presentation has left some disappointed reflects unrealistic expectations. We're 2 decades past Casino etc - why anyone would expect the same type of film is puzzling.
The protagonists, especially Scorsese and RDN, were aiming for something less glamorous, and with the final coda, where death, family, and the consequences came home to roost, was the most interesting, and the one part of the film which distinguished itself from its predecessors.
Not that I thought it was a classic - had this been made 15 years ago, fewer would be asking "why now?", and in addition a cinema only release would have forced some pruning down to 3 hours.
But that aside, it was a very satisfying coda to the particular crime story that Scorsese has so excelled in.