KILL THE IRISHMAN – The Review

KILL THE IRISHMAN is a film based on the true story of Danny Greene, a Cleveland man of humble origins and Irish ancestry. Greene never graduated high school, but had an abundance of both street smarts and intelligence, known for his impressive reputation for reading books. Greene was also a man who had both an intense, fundamental good nature matched only by his intimidating toughness and confidence. These traits would combine to mold the man into a legend on the streets of 1970’s Cleveland.

Written and directed by Jonathan Hensleigh, best known for 2004’s THE PUNISHER starring Thomas Jane, KILL THE IRISHMAN has another connection with the popular Marvel Comics vigilante in it’s star Ray Stevenson, who played the anti-hero Frank Castle in 2008’s PUNISHER: WAR ZONE… not written or directed by Hensleigh. Neither film pale in comparison to this slice of reality, based on recent history but spiced up subtly with street humor and a slight touch of classic gangster film flair.

Greene became known as a local hero for his charitable work and his sincere interest in the lives of the working class, but also as a dangerous and formidable wild card by the mafia and police. His story shifts between being a good guy and a bad guy, residing effortlessly in the gray area of the anti-hero, a role Stevenson seems quite adept at capturing. Many people are still relatively unfamiliar with Stevenson, whose work includes roles in THE BOOK OF ELI, THE OTHER GUYS and the upcoming THOR. What I found most intriguing about KILL THE IRISHMAN was Stevenson’s performance, an effort I would have no qualms with calling a galvanizing step towards becoming an actor of a higher caliber.

KILL THE IRISHMAN also benefits greatly from a truly impressive ensemble cast of talented, gangster film genre veterans. Vincent D’Onofrio (BROOKLYN’S FINEST) plays John Nardi, Greene’s friend, organized crime figure and one time employer. Christopher Walken (TRUE ROMANCE) has a short-lived but welcome role as loan shark Shondor Birns. Val Kilmer (HEAT) makes a big screen return as Detective Joe Manditski, but I feel his performance was dull and stiff, perhaps suffering from what felt like a distinct effort on his behalf to hide the weight he has gained. I say, you are who you are, so play off it… a la Marlon Brando in THE SCORE, or Orsen Welles in TOUCH OF EVIL.

As great as this cast is already, there’s still much more to offer the film fan well-versed in genre actors. KILL THE IRISHMAN seems at times like a gangster film genre class reunion, including Paul Sorvino (GOODFELLAS), Vinnie Jones (SNATCH), Robert Davi (LICENSE TO KILL), Mike Starr (GOODFELLAS), Steve Schirripa (THE SOPRANOS), Tony Darrow (THE SOPRANOS) and Fionnula Flanagan (TV series BROTHERHOOD, and LOST).

KILL THE IRISHMAN maintains a sense of the era, combining a touch of graininess in both image (shot by Karl Walter Lindenlaub) and sound with attention to detail in apparel, architecture and automobiles.The film also connects with the 70’s era through it’s sense of humor, especially in relation to violence and language, which tiptoe in and out of the grindhouse essence of 70’s cinema. It’s subtle, but it’s there and it adds an authentic texture to the film.

KILL THE IRISHMAN falls back comfortably upon a fairly standard but effective Irish-influenced score from Patrick Cassidy. The film, filled with little details that add to the viewer’s transportation to the 70’s, was based on Rick Porrello’s book “To Kill the Irishman” and ends with a bit a archival news footage of the real Danny Greene, much like THE FIGHTER ends with a moment with the real-life Micky and Dicky.

KILL THE IRISHMAN falls fittingly within the “stranger than fiction” category. Danny Greene survived multiple assassination attempts, conveying a fearlessness that is rarely seen outside of fictional characters. After all the explosions, violence, and graphically colorful language have passed, this is ultimately a film about one man’s struggle to find his place in a world that’s far from perfect. KILL THE IRISHMAN is a film about a man struggling with his own legacy. I suspect this film will help convey what kind of man Danny Greene was for a whole new generation.

Overall Rating: 4 out of 5 stars