Gangs
of New York was the movie I was most looking forward to this holiday season. Yes,
even more than Two Towers. Why? Because I think Martin Scorsese is the most talented
film maker of all time. I can honestly say that I've been a fan of every one of
his films. Even Boxcar Bertha and the underrated Bringing Out the Dead. I've come
to expect quite a bit from the work of Scorsese and it's these expectations that
probably left me disappointed with his labor of love project Gangs of New York.
This
massive period piece features Leonardo DiCaprio as Amsterdam, a young man who
returns to his old home in a lower east side New York (circa 1846) after several
years, with revenge on his mind. His target is a bigger-than-life anti-immigration
gang leader named William "Bill the Butcher" Cutting (played by Daniel
Day-Lewis). Bill has clout and owns the city, but with times rapidly changing,
Amsterdam represents a threat to his reign.
DiCaprio
is all over the place this month, appearing in two extremely high profile movies
directed by very respected film makers. And while his performance here is fine,
he fares better with his turn in Catch Me if You Can. A big reason for this is
Lewis. This guy literally chews up scenery, overshadowing everyone in his path.
His portrayal of Bill is both over the top (but in a good way) and sympathetic.
Lewis has been absent from cinema since Jim Sheridan's The Boxer, and with Gangs
he's back in full force. The rest of the film is populated with terrific supporting
players including John C. Reilly, Liam Neeson, Henry Thomas, Cameron Diaz, Jim
Broadbent, and Brendan Gleeson.
At
it's heart, Gangs of New York is a simple tale of revenge and uses a turbulent
moment in time as it's back drop. Scorsese has labored over this project for years
and even had his fair share of problems throughout production (this film was actually
slated for release over a year ago). Certainly there are elements of his mafia
pictures here, and even shades of Age of Innocence, but for the most part, this
is the biggest film he's ever made, and aside from The Two Towers, this is probably
the biggest picture of the year in terms of scope.
Sadly,
it is perhaps his most flawed movie. Not in terms of story content, but execution.
There are choices the director makes that don't always work, be it terrible music
cues, or intrusive off screen narration. Unfortunately, many of the Irish accents
are botched as well. These uncharacteristic miscues disrupt the flow of the film.
And given that this movie is three hours long, that's not a good thing.
Of
course, for every flaw there is a treasure to behold in this huge epic. The cinematography
and art direction are breathtaking, and as always, Scorsese is a pro with his
actors. There is a scene in which Bill tells Amsterdam about his most emotional
kill, and the whole sequence is incredibly powerful. Scorsese knows how to motivate
and shoot his actors. I also found the ending very low key. Amsterdam and Bill's
causes seem absolutely insignificant in the grand scheme of things, and Scorsese
handles their final moments of the movie in a surprisingly understated manner.
With
all it's flaws and imperfections, it should come as no surprise that Gangs of
New York is still one of the best pictures of the year. Scorsese has fashioned
his biggest movie, and while it isn't one of his best, it's still a worthy, ambitious
effort.
