‘The Irishman’ First Reactions Are Here As Scorsese’s Latest Is Hailed As “Terrific” & “A Masterwork”

‘The Irishman’ First Reactions Are Here As Scorsese’s Latest Is Hailed As “Terrific” & “A Masterwork”

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It happened, people! Martin Scorsese’s long-awaited crime film “The Irishman” has finally been seen by real people at the New York Film Festival. And as you might expect, even though reviews won’t hit until later this evening, social media is abuzz with take after take from people who have witnessed the 209-minute epic.

Overall, it appears that there are a few people saying the film is a masterpiece (which is par for the course, when it comes to these Twitter hot takes), but by and large, most feel that the film is good, perhaps great, but not on par with the director’s own previous mafia films. That being said, when those previous films include the likes of “Goodfellas” and “Casino,” that’s a mighty high bar for anyone.

READ MORE: ‘The Irishman’ Trailer: Martin Scorsese’s Gangster Film Sees Robert De Niro As 20th Century Mob Hitman

Playlist contributor/great guy Charles Bramesco said, “THE IRISHMAN: Pacino unhinges his jaw and swallows this thing whole like a python choking down a gazelle carcass, berserker mode king shit.”

Another familiar name around these parts, Jason Bailey said, “Anyway THE IRISHMAN is like a movie genetically engineered to my interests so take my recommendation or leave it, but I think it’s a terrific picture – and an A+ example of a late period director saying, “oh, this is what you want?” and stabbing you in the fucking neck with it.”

/Film’s Chris Evangelista minced no words with his reaction, declaring, “THE IRISHMAN is a masterwork. Funny, epic, and most of all, melancholy. It’s Scorsese confronting aging, legacies, and mortality. I may or may not have teared up at the end…”

READ MORE: New Images From ‘The Irishman’ Show A Digitally Altered Robert De Niro Through The Decades

Other critics weren’t so overjoyed with the feature, as Kyle Smith of the National Review said, “Enjoyed Martin Scorsese’s THE IRISHMAN but it’s underwhelming in some ways and he’d be wise to cut 30-45 minutes from this very digressive 3 1/2 hour film. Clearly it’s his least-good mob movie.”

US Weekly critic Mara Reinstein said, “I wish I could take a photo in the dark of all these people on their phones doing twitter hot takes on #TheIrishman. Here’s mine: it’s middle of the Scorsese pack. Def more of a sober character study than classic tense mob thriller.”

READ MORE: 2019 New York Film Festival Preview: The 12 Most Anticipated Films

Our full review of “The Irishman” will be arriving this evening. The film, itself, will arrive in select theaters on November 1 before hitting Netflix on November 27.

Here’s a relatively small selection of the hot takes from Twitter:

Anyway THE IRISHMAN is like a movie genetically engineered to my interests so take my recommendation or leave it, but I think it’s a terrific picture – and an A+ example of a late period director saying, “oh, this is what you want?” and stabbing you in the fucking neck with it — Jason Bailey ???????????? (@jasondashbailey) September 27, 2019

I wish I could take a photo in he dark of all these people on their phones doing twitter hot takes on #TheIrishman. Here’s mine: it’s middle of the Scorsese pack. Def more of a sober character study than classic tense mob thriller — Mara Reinstein (@MaraReinstein) September 27, 2019

THE IRISHMAN: Pacino unhinges his jaw and swallows this thing whole like a python choking down a gazelle carcass, berserker mode king shit — Charles Bramesco (@intothecrevasse) September 27, 2019

THE IRISHMAN is a masterwork. Funny, epic, and most of all, melancholy. It’s Scorsese confronting aging, legacies, and mortality. I may or may not have teared up at the end… — Chris Evangelista (@cevangelista413) September 27, 2019

I love THE IRISHMAN so much because it’s far more than another gangland notch on Scorsese’s belt. It’s an American epic concerned with profound moral decay and a lifetime’s festering regret. De Niro is sublime. Pacino is electric, with Pesci the calming foil. And it flies by! — Kris Tapley (@kristapley) September 27, 2019

“The Irishman” is a gangster epic, and one of Netflix’s best. The lengthy runtime and de-aging is jarring, but it’s a true portrait of a life in the mafia. It’s a Scorsese greatest hits album. pic.twitter.com/1ErzHODzHV — Frank Pallotta (@frankpallotta) September 27, 2019

THE IRISHMAN is like a greatest hits album from a master of the medium. Yes, that’s a positive. The artifice of de-aging is more feature than bug. It’s not “slow.” It often moves like lightening & elsewhere it’s downright Bressonian. This is not a review! Those are embargoed. — erickohn (@erickohn) September 27, 2019

THE IRISHMAN is not GOODFELLAS/CASINO part 3. Different pace different tone. It is, however, absolutely fucking fantastic and I am floored. All hail the King. — Jordan Hoffman (@jhoffman) September 27, 2019

Enjoyed Martin Scorsese’s THE IRISHMAN but it’s underwhelming in some ways and he’d be wise to cut 30-45 minutes from this very digressive 3 1/2 hour film. Clearly it’s his least-good mob movie. @TheNYFF — Kyle Smith (@rkylesmith) September 27, 2019

THE IRISHMAN – Audacious, epic, a film that feels like it spans lifetimes yet whisks by. Technically bold, performances raw and darkly humourous, it is the culmination of Scorsese's genre fascinations, and a late career triumph. Truly cinematic, demanding to be seen big #nyff57 — Jason Gorber @ #NYFF (@filmfest_ca) September 27, 2019

THE IRISHMAN: al pacino … oscar ????? — karen han (@karenyhan) September 27, 2019

THE IRISHMAN is Marty’s old man movie! it’s about how you gotta have fifty conversations to do anything and everybody’s got an ego and it’s mostly just people chatting to each other and getting grumpy. terrific!! — David Sims (@davidlsims) September 27, 2019

The Irishman is good. I laughed a lot. — k austin collins (@melvillmatic) September 27, 2019

Alright, more coherent thoughts on #TheIrishman to come in my review tonight but I’ll say this for now because I know people are curious about it: The de-aging worked for me! Jarring at first, but you got used to it, and De Niro was good enough that it didn’t matter. — Anna Menta (@annalikestweets) September 27, 2019

THE IRISHMAN: DeNiro and Pesci carefully plotting out a lengthy road trip on a paper map, DeNiro and Pacino wearing old man pajamas, obviously was in my middle-aged glory PLUS it's funny and terribly sad. #NYFF — jesse (@rockmarooned) September 27, 2019

Me: ???? The Irishman: *plays* …3.5 hours later… Me: ???? — De-Aged De Niro (@yosoymichael) September 27, 2019

Watching De Niro, Pesci, and Pacino fire on all cylinders together shattered me to pieces. This is what I live for. The Irishman is rapturous. — ᴘᴀᴛʀɪᴋ sᴀɴᴅʙᴇʀɢ (@PatrikSandberg) September 27, 2019

THE IRISHMAN: Scorseseness about Scorseseness — Richard Lawson (@rilaws) September 27, 2019

reviews of The Irishman are embargoed to this evening but I can give an A+ to the shot of the Friendly Lounge sign. We do however need to talk about the Villa di Roma scenes. — Sam Adams (@SamuelAAdams) September 27, 2019

I spent all 209 minutes of THE IRISHMAN regretting skipping breakfast — Jeva Lange (@Jee_vuh) September 27, 2019