You know when the rush of feel-good summer flicks is about to come to an end soon when a trailer drops for a typically brutal and violent Martin Scorsese crime drama that showcases men behaving badly.
The draw for die-hard Scorsese worshipers will be the unholy trinity of Robert De Niro, Joe Pesci and Al Pacino, making his debut in a Scorsese film. Another of the filmmaker’s faves, Harvey Keitel, also puts in an appearance in this decades-long account of organized crime as seen through the eyes of World War II veteran Frank Sheeran, who was a hustler and a hitman working for some of the most notorious figures of the 20th century. The Netflix release that will have its world premiere Sept. 27 at the New York Film Festival before its streaming debut later in the year.
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De Niro is Sheeran, who picked up his deadly skills while serving in Italy, reflects upon his mob career. Pacino is labor union leader Jimmy Hoffa, whose disappearance in 1975 remains a mystery — one that Sheeran is connected with. One presumes Scorsese and screenwriter Steve Zaillian will present a theory for what really happened to the mob-related Teamsters president. Meanwhile, Pesci came out of unofficial retirement when his buddy Marty beckoned.
Some state-of-the-art anti-aging CGI is being employed to erase years from the 75-year-old “Raging Bull” Oscar winner De Niro for his ninth collaboration with Scorsese. It was the actor who brought the book the movie is based on, Charles Brandt’s 2003 biographical true-crime saga, “I Heard You Paint Houses,” to Scorsese. It has taken 12 years to come to fruition on the big screen.
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As for the film’s Oscar chances considering it is primarily a streaming contender, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences president John Bailey announced in April that such releases can be eligible for trophies if they follow the rules and get a theatrical run as well.
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