I look at movies like #ForrestGump and #TheIrishman that document the lives of ordinary men alongside epoch making events in the history of the American nation and wonder why no one has attempted that in India. Think about it - those born in the seventies in India have lived through the assasiantion of #IndiraGandhi, anti-Sikh riots, #RajivGandhi’s death, economic liberalisation and the Kargil war. How fascinating would it be to build a narrative of an ordinary Indian on the side-lines of these historic milestones? #AnuragKashyap are you game?
ASHOK’s FIVE reviews #MartinScorsese's magnum opus #TheIrishman on #NetflixIndia. With a run time of over three hours, this is a detailed account of the life and times of Frank Sheeran, a real life criminal and labour union official whose life not just borders but in some ways is involved with important milestones in America’s political history. #Scorcese is the undisputed king of gangster films but this one is special on account of the use of technology. #RobertdeNiro who was 75 when he acted in this film, is made to look younger for the flashback scenes using computer-generated imagery. The de-ageing is of course helped by make-up and hair pieces. And to make matters more complex, the other actors age forwards!
The film spans the life of Sheeran who was a World War II hero and lived through the Bay of Pigs invasion in Cuba, the Kennedy assisantion and many more events all the way till the early 2000s. The cast includes some fantastic actors including #JoePesci, #AlPacino and #HarveyKeitel. It is a tale of the criminal legacy impact on America ; it is also a tale of mortality and life-long regret. #Peci plays Russel Bufalino and #Pacino plays Jimmy Hoffa and much of Sheeran’s challenges is to try and resolve the differences between these two heavy-weights. In the end, Sheeran pays for his doings. And as Pesci says “this is the way it is”
One of the most endearing and poignant relationships in the film coincidentally has to do with one of the few women characters. Sheeran’s daughter Peggy (#LucyGallina as the child and #AnnaPaquin as an adult) is close to Hoffa and her disappointment with her dad is writ large on her face. The interplay of guilt versus resignation on Sheeran’s visage whenever he confronts Peggy is very eloquent.
#DeNiro is at his classic best as Frank Sheeran. A man who does what his bosses say and pretty much stoic about everything else in life. He is clammed up when with his family and it is fascinating how he lights up with his pals. He gets the job done and is emotionless and clinical when he has to carry out his hits. Towards the end, he is riddled with guilt and begs forgiveness.
Each new character in the film is introduced with a virtual ‘epitaph’ that pops up on the screen - name, year of demise, cause of death typically ‘six bullets to the head’. The other characters in the film include Bufalino’s slimy cousin Bill (#RayRomano), his enigmatic boss Angelo (#HarveyKeitel) and a host of other criminals.
#TheIrishman is adapted from #CharlesBrandt’s book “I heard you paint houses” and adapted for the screen by #SteveZallion. It is a film about the fear of mortality and the eventual futility of our pursuits. It is also about the self-righteous and duty-bound nature of criminal life. And finally, it is about the fallout with friends and family and bearing the cross of damnation and guilt.
#TheIrishman is a magnum opus. It is meant to be viewed on the Big Screen and I would urge you not to view it on the mobile phone or tablet. As the eclectic sound track plays “In the Still of the Night” you can only reflect on the saga of the story that you just witnessed. A story of human life, the ups and downs and the eventual finality of death. Alongside plays out the history of your city, nation or the world itself. As I said in the beginning, I am hoping we will see the script of Indian history being played out through the eyes of an ordinary citizen. Inshallah one day. What say #Kashyap Sir?
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