During his fight against the Nazis, Frank Sheeran (Robert De Niro) forced a pair of enemy soldiers to dig a hole that, in the few seconds it took to fire off a few rounds, became their eternal resting place. Little did the soldier know at the time, but this “follow orders and you’re rewarded” mentality was preparing him for a career in the mob. Speaking of following orders, Scorsese hops in bed with Netflix for a return to the genre that has brought him the most amount of box office success. It’s great to see the old guard together again, with Scorsese newcomer Al Pacino noisily stealing the show as Jimmy Hoffa. When he goes, much of the energy gets buried with him. The tale of the teamster who wacked the hand that fed him is never boring, but at this stage in his career, one expected something more than a small screen gangster epic from the man who redefined the genre. He knew all along that the majority of viewers would come to the film on television, so he shot accordingly. A betting man would wager that well over half the picture was composed in TV-safe closeups and reverse angle shots of well-paid actors talking, the impact of which would not be lost on a flatscreen. I liked it better when Scorsese, not the medium, dictated shot size. (2019) — Scott Marks
This movie is not currently in theaters.