A Reel Opinion: Why THE IRISHMAN got Whacked

One of the many ongoing conversations leftover from the now completed 2019 Awards Season has to do with Martin Scorsese’s THE IRISHMAN. The Netflix-produced gangster drama went into the 92^nd Academy Awards with 10 nominations (tied for the second-most), but won nothing. The whacking at the Oscars capped off an abysmal Awards Season for the film, as it was shut-out at the other major awards, including the Golden Globes, BAFTA, the Guilds, and the Technical Societies. The lack of any love was a surprise, as the film was expected to be a contender as far back as the year before, when its first teaser debuted during the 91^st Oscars. How did this happen? How could a gangster epic by Scorsese, which reunited him with his GOODFELLAS actors Robert DeNiro and Joe Pesci…and also had Al Pacino…do so poorly? Here’s what This Blogger thinks went wrong…

1. Stiff Competition

We can dismiss any talk that THE IRISHMAN was a bad film. It was nominated for 10 Oscars and 10 BAFTA awards, earned an excellent 96% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes (94/100 on Metacritic), and did take home wins at the IGN Awards (Best Drama), and Critics Choice (Best Ensemble). Viewers seemed to be a little split on it (more on that in a minute), but it did seem that Scorsese’s peers did see a lot of merit in the film. The problem at the Oscars, and at BAFTA and the Globes, is that it went up against awards-juggernauts such as Sam Mendes’ breathtaking 1917, Quentin Tarantino’s love letter to movie-making in ONCE UPON A TIME IN HOLLYWOOD, and the eventual history-making Best Picture winner, Bong Joon-ho’s PARASITE. THE IRISHMAN was good, but even if it was better, it would still not have done any better against those awards-gobbling movies. The scenario was remarkably similar to 2002, when Scorsese's own GANGS OF NEW YORK earned 10 nominations, but lost every category to awards gobblers THE PIANIST, THE TWO TOWERS, and the eventual Best Picture winner, CHICAGO. 

2. Netflix Bias

It is no secret that the streaming service which has been transforming into a movie studio has not been popular with the Hollywood establishment, with an ongoing feud against exhibitors regarding their releases; Netflix wants to run their films in theatres for a bare minimum, exhibitors want them to run on the big screen longer. The Academy voters, which are industry directors, actors, producers, and other long-time Hollywood elite, don’t like the stunts that Netflix keeps trying to pull, and probably look at them as the enemy; a threat to the way the movies have been doing business for 100 years. Those 10 Oscar nominations are a show of respect to Scorsese and his cast, but the shutout was the middle-finger to Netflix. And just to further drive home the point, the films that won the lion’s share; PARASITE, 1917, and ONCE UPON A TIME IN HOLLYWOOD…were films that were tailored perfectly for the big-screen experience. 

3. THE IRISHMAN was not a Crowd Pleaser

In 1995, director Michael Mann brought together legendary actors Robert DeNiro and Al Pacino together on the big screen for the first time in his crime drama HEAT. Towards the back end, the two actors had a face-off/conversation in a beautifully constructed sit-down at a diner; a scene that is now legendary and has fans of the film making pilgrimages to that real-life diner just to sit at that table. It was a quiet, yet crowd-pleasing moment that made HEAT legendary. 

THE IRISHMAN brought DeNiro and Pacino together again along with Joe Pesci, and the film has some wonderful scenes with these three greats, but it simply does not capitalize on the star-power. There is no scene between these guys that delivers what viewers wanted from them like HEAT did. And that’s where Scorsese may have lost his audience…and his voters. It is a reflection of the way Scorsese thinks; earlier in the year he made waves when he criticized Marvel and superhero movies…diminishing them by calling them theme parks; and parks exist to please people. THE IRISHMAN was a slow-burner, and lacked the zip or an iconic scene that people fell in love with in GOODFELLAS. Scorsese made THE IRISHMAN for himself and not for fans, and that’s why it didn’t resonate…and that’s why no one could care to vote for it. 

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Martin Scorsese’s next film, KILLERS OF THE FLOWER MOON, begins filming this year with DeNiro and Leonardo DiCaprio. No release date has been set yet.