The Irishman proves to be an exhilarating and well-executed adventure that combines together some of the finest elements of crime and mobster movies, while also infusing plenty of drama and passion into the story. The movie revolves around Frank Sheeran, who tells his story from the very beginning, when he was just a simple truck driver in the 1950s. However, Frank's life forever changes when he becomes involved with a Pennsylvania crime family, including the extraordinarily powerful Russell Buffalino. As Frank attempts to move through the ranks and become even more involved with the crimes of the family, he begins to become more influential and powerful, while also making enough money to provide for his growing family in the process. Frank begins to work as a top hit man for the mobsters, and Frank knows how it's necessary to not ask questions and question anything he's asked to do, making him one of their favorite people to go to with a task. In fact, it is this strong reputation that eventually leads Frank to work for the legendary Jimmy Hoffa, who just happens to be one of the most powerful men in the world with his connections to the Teamsters and crime. 
 The Irishman manages to transform into an exhilarating and enticing love letter to crime films, allowing the film to portray real historical events in a unique and creative manner. Utilizing an intense blend of dark and intense themes, the movie is able to create plenty of uncanny drama, which is made even more notable by compelling characters that are solely captivating for the audience. While the movie does rely a fair amount on action, especially because the protagonist of the movie is a hit man after all, the real strength of the film is its well-written story. 
 The Irishman's well-composed plot is quite thorough in showing every chapter of the lives of the characters on-screen, and there's no denying that watchers get a complete perspective of how Frank deals with adjusting, becoming and ultimately suffering with having his life become a part of crime. The beginning of the movie brilliantly introduces audiences to Frank Sheeran, and there's a subtle transition from Frank's previous, ordinary life into the world of mafia. Frank comes across as a relatable and likable character, but more importantly, as more details are revealed, it becomes incredibly clear that Frank is a truly complex character that is more complicated than not. Frank never actually becomes emotionally torn by certain aspects of the new life he has acquired, and it isn't until quite late in his life that he begins to question if he ever made a mistake or if his lack of resentment and remorse for what he's done is a severe problem. The middle of the movie marvelously progresses the plot along, and it manages to provide plenty of intense obstacles and conflicts for all of the main characters. While this portion is slightly stretched out, especially because the movie is over three hours long in length, the movie still feels extraordinarily inspired at certain moments, and it feels like the director, Martin Scorsese, really comes alive during this part, crafting characters that steadily become far more than just simple mobsters. The excellent ending of the movie superbly wraps up the adventure, successfully tying up all loose knots, but the truth of the matter is that this portion seems to continue on the movie long after it should have ended. By the conclusion, the film begins to feel slightly repetitive and redundant, with some viewers actually hoping for the movie to end. Despite how this portion does definitely provide a steady and slow sense of the end, it does begin to drag on at times. 

 The Irishman possesses a stellar cast that combines all of its talent together to produce plenty of superb characters. Robert De Niro is fantastic as Frank Sheeran, and he manages to place a significant amount of personality and emotion into the character. This creates a likable protagonist that is easy to root for and also intriguing to watch as he grows and develops as a person. Joe Pesci is spectacular as Russell Buffalino and manages to transform into the raw essence of what it means to be a mobster in a crime film. Al Pacino is astounding as Jimmy Hoffa, and because Hoffa was a real person that was incredibly famous during his time, it was of the upmost importance for Pacino to create a unique version and take on the character, and Al Pacino does not let down. His character is arrogant, stubborn and unwilling to listen to anyone else, and this creates plenty of drama for the movie as a whole. While there are plenty of other noteworthy roles, including Ray Romano's Bill Buffalino and Bobby Canavale's Joe Gallo, the true core of the movie is composed by De Niro, Pesci and Pacino, who steal the spotlight more often than not. 

 The Irishman may be too long for some, but the fact of the matter is that it still provides an earnestly solid story and plot that feel like a classic in the making. With the infusion of real events and fictional characters, the movie is able to portray history in a fun and exciting manner. The movie did receive an outstanding 96% from Rotten Tomatoes, so there is definitely plenty of superb drama created. While the movie's length is a bit overwhelming at times, the movie still becomes an instant must-see. Scorsese would certainly agree.