Will Netflix get an Oscar with The Irishman?

So far there are three ways to see The Irishman: at film festivals and in selected movie theaters. Now, the third option is available: Netflix platform. We have had the opportunity to see it on the big screen and it definitely has everything to overcome the achievements of Rome (Alfonso Cuarón, 2018), although Variety magazine thinks differently, because for them The Irishman has reduced options to achieve it, we tell you why.

The personal damage of mafia

Martin Scorsese (Gangs of New York, The Wolf of Wall Street) is neither the first nor the last to portray the theme of the big screen mafia on the screen, nor is it for him the first time. However, there is something different in The Irishman, the mafia is just a pretext to reflect on how decisions are made in life and the consequences of them. So, it is not only about the corrupting power of the mafia, its violence, its social impact, how a criminal empire was built, or a war between the mafias with its complex codes. This tape is about the ability of mafia to destroy the lives of those who are part of it, it is a personal vision and therefore, it is the recount of a life.

There is maturity in every sense, Scorsese shows one of his most complete and complex works, the adaptation of Charles Brandt's story is transversal over several decades and it is here that he has a good argument that reinforces his statements against Marvel: the use of technology to rejuvenate the main actors, but without this turning away from the truly essential, something difficult to achieve in Hollywood now.

Despite the seriousness of the story, the director does not lose his sense of humor and intelligently addresses relevant issues of American history such as the Bay of Pigs invasion in Cuba, the Kennedys and even the famous case of union leader Jimmy Hoffa. As expected and true to his style, Scorsese takes his time to take the viewer at his own pace and gradually explain what is necessary, which explains the duration of the film: 209 minutes.

Old Hollywood Acquaintances

Robert De Niro (Taxi Driver, Casino), Joe Pesci (Goodfellas, Casino) and Al Pacino (The Godfather, Scent of a Woman) compose the main casting of a story that is told over several decades and thanks to the technology, used to rejuvenate them, achieves dynamism with the Scorsese seal. Like other films of the director there is a tendency, almost obsessive, to explain in detail the story. Given the wave of characters, some real and other fictional, Scorsese explains the relationship between them and other data that seem irrelevant, until they connect as a clock mechanism to make the story more complex.

Also read: The Joker: the movie is beautiful, painfully beautiful

Forbes magazine describes Netflix's idea of venturing into this story as "a risky bet". It is not for less, before the frontal attack of Disney and other streaming platforms, Netflix must bet not only to create more content, but also to be of quality. This will allow him to generate prestige and fulfill one of his apparent obsessions: obtain an Oscar. For that, he invested at least $159 million dollars, according to IMDB, starting again a path he already lived this year with Rome, the Alfonso Cuarón film.

The newspaper El País affirmed that Steven Spielberg campaigned against the Cuarón film, in an open battle against streaming, especially against Netflix. Rome met the minimum requirements to compete for the Oscar, won 3 awards, including Best Foreign Film, but lost the main: Best film, against Green Book, the favorite of Spielberg. If Netflix learned something from that experience, it can be seen in a few months, despite this, the reality is that The Irishman has its own merits and an exceptional cast to overcome Rome.

In addition to the dislike of some Hollywood sectors to streaming, Scorsese's recent statements against superhero movies are added, particularly against the one produced by Marvel. Variety magazine says that by disregarding the superhero cinema, the director of The Irishman has won the discontent of the youngest and most revolutionary sector of the Academy, in a Hollywood that bets on the different and the diverse. His statements have not fallen well.

As if that were not enough, with the devastating success of Joker (Todd Phillips, 2019), premiered in traditional channels and with a Joaquin Phoenix aimed at harvesting prizes the competition becomes tougher. How far will it go?