Are you sitting down, folks? TheNew York Film Festival has revealedthatMartin Scorsese’sThe Irishmanwill boast a running time of… wait for it… 210 minutes. That is exactly 3-and-one-half-hours. You could literally watchCrankandCrank: High Voltagein that time frame, and still have roughly 10 minutes to spare.
Now, I know what you’re thinking. 3.5 hours? That’s a lot of movie. Why are movies so freakin' long these days? Well, normally I would agree, but when it’s Scorsese teaming up withRobert De NiroandJoe Pesciagain, and they’re bringingAl Pacinoalong for the ride, well, I’d welcome the chance to sit in that theater until my eyeballs fell out of my head. I’d watch a 10-hour cut ofThe Irishman, so long as there was a well-timed intermission and my parking was validated.
Per NYFF, whose programmers have obviously seen the film,The Irishman"is a richly textured epic of American crime, a dense, complex story told with astonishing fluidity. Based onCharles Brandt’s nonfiction bookI Heard You Paint Houses,it is a film about friendship and loyalty between men who commit unspeakable acts and turn on a dime against each other, and the possibility of redemption in a world where it seems as distant as the moon. The roster of talent behind and in front of the camera is astonishing, and at the core ofThe Irishmanare four great artists collectively hitting a new peak: Joe Pesci as Pennsylvania mob bossRussell Bufalino, Al Pacino as Teamsters presidentJimmy Hoffa, and Robert De Niro as their right-hand man,Frank Sheeran, each working in the closest harmony imaginable with the film’s incomparable creator, Martin Scorsese.
Of course, in a classic line of ‘Cover Your Ass’ fine print, the NYFF website makes sure to note that the “runtime is subject to change.” That said, it sounds right on the money to me, as not only would this story require more than three hours to tell, and not only would Scorsese have the clout to command such an extravagant running time, butKris Tapley, who has been writing for Netflix’s new Queue magazine and has seen many of the streamer’s films,tweeted on Tuesday, “Some sagas WARRANT 3 1/2 hours” – a sentiment to which I’m inclined to agree. Bring it on, baby!
The Irishmanwill make its debut at the festival on Sept. 27before hitting select theaterson Nov. 1, and, eventually, Netflix on Nov. 27 – the day before Thanksgiving, so you can watch it with your entire family from the comfort of your own living room, where you’ll be able to pause the film for bathroom breaks.
Some of us questioned whetherThe Irishmanwould ever get made, but Netflix has actually gone and done it, and we’ll know soon if this year’s awards race is going to be another Marty Party, or whether Scorsese’s latest will be greeted with respectfulsilenceby Oscar voters.
