A welcome departure for Scorsese, not from his fascination with crime and violence, but from the urban settings that usually frame them. Proves that it isn’t the streets that draw him, it’s relationships that exist on the knife-edge of violence and the threat of brutality at any moment.
Clearly a passion project for Scorsese. Epic in scale, densely woven yet cleanly told. Pacing is slow and deliberate, and while it occasionally drags, the measured rhythm lets the story unfold organically and create just the right amount of tension for the flashes of violence that pepper the film.
The film is beautifully shot, with stunning widescreen compositions and meticulously authentic production design. Just enough mysticism to enrich the story, along with a sprinkling of whimsical camera movements and editorial flourishes to remind us that this is a Scorsese film. The radio-drama sequence at the end adds odd levity to a tragic, heavy story, but just another Scorsese flourish.
De Niro and DiCaprio are magic together, as usual. DiCaprio disappears behind a prosthetic nose, altered teeth, and a peculiar jaw-clenching mannerism, all of which he makes feel completely natural. DiCaprio is really good at the paranoid eyes thing. Looking back, many of his best roles feature characters like this. Just when I thought De Niro might be aging out of roles like this, he nails it once again. He channels his Cape Fear Max Cady accent for this one. Indeed, these characters were real people, and checking historical photos shows how well-chosen these actors were. Gladstone holds her own, Plemons is wonderful, and other performances by the supporting cast are perfect, including Lithgow, Fraser, and even Scorsese in minor roles. Authentic all around, you don’t “see” the acting anywhere.
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