Best Supporting Actor 2019: Al Pacino in The Irishman

Al Pacino received his ninth Oscar nomination for portraying Jimmy Hoffa in The Irishman.

The Irishman follows the life of "house-painter" (hitman) Frank Sheeran (Robert De Niro) within his career with the Italian mafia and his friendship with Jimmy Hoffa.

This film marks the fourth collaboration between two of the actors who defined the 70's in Al Pacino and Robert De Niro. This after not being able to share a scene in The Godfather Part II, given they played father and son in two different time periods, then sharing 3, two of them very brief, scenes as a cop and a crook at opposite ends in Heat, and another film that exists that is sadly more representative of both of their later careers than the aforementioned films. The Irishman returns them to a greater pedigree as a film by also marking Al Pacino's first collaboration with one of the major 70's mavericks in Martin Scorsese. Of course Pacino's career has always maintained a degree of quality through his television work that has been consistently of quality, even when his film career sagged a bit. Pacino though is an actor though even in these lesser films,  with lesser characters, did seem as though he was trying to have fun, even if his performances occasionally became a bit repetitive, and weren't exactly working with the best of material. Here appears to be a change of pace for Pacino in the role of Jimmy Hoffa, the famed, and infamous, teamster union president. I do say as this appears to be as in some way this role isn't entirely away from later period Pacino, if to simplify this message there is definitely yelling to be found here, and a louder Pacino role. The thing is though James Riddle Hoffa was not the quiet retiring type and this isn't just Pacino coasting on hot air, this is something special once again.

Pacino certainly delivers here in the most pronounced scenes of Hoffa's energy, in some of his first scenes where we see Hoffa the union leader essentially priming his constitutes like a proper politician. Although here Pacino makes a better, more exact use of the Pacino roar to drum up the crowd with a specified use of it. This with the charisma in the speeches of a true rabble rouser as Pacino finds the right combination between inspiration and intensity. This speaking upon the idea of support and leadership, while also drumming up the crowd towards a frenzy. Pacino here though not even in his speeches just yelling, but rather finding more nuance in his performance. This in portraying Hoffa almost conducting the crowd like a proper general in making this firm exact points within the speeches with a greater grace, before bringing the crowd in towards his rapid raving support for his views. Pacino exudes the needed manner for Hoffa, that is larger than life to be sure, but he delivers an honesty within this idea. This even in the nuance within the role of the politician, which can be purposefully broad, by creating the figure that could easily be as beloved or reviled depending on one's point of view. He initially though makes a few important choices in the role, two choices that his predecessor Jack Nicholson did not avoid, one choosing only to fashion certain elements of his mannerisms in his performance, and more importantly not being a one note parody of a teamster.

Pacino's main appropriation from Hoffa is his unique cadence of speaking, not so much an accent, but rather a manner, which Pacino naturally realizes in the role. This giving a nice distinction his own work that he makes the most of as we see the quieter, though sort of, still public scenes of Hoffa. This in his first scene where he talks to Frank through intermediator Russell Bufalino (Joe Pesci) over the phone. Pacino delivering in that almost sing song voice of a showman of sorts as he speaks to the idea of the movement and the history that he is creating. Pacino manages to portray this internalized ego though that works as a wonderful charisma. This is as in this moment Pacino delivers each line of a man who firmly believes in everything he is saying, but also has become quite assured the ways in which to convince others of the same idea. Pacino has this inspirational spirit even when hiring basically a hitman, with this promotion he accentuates in every word to make it as though it is the very best idea possible to be working under him. The other essential public moments are in his brief senate hearings though Pacino again uses these to riff a bit as well. This as we do see that same assurance though now played as a deferring attitude as they pry at his possible illegal actions. This as Pacino speaks word with the careful calculation and even presentation of the same man even when in front of the whole world for suspected criminal behavior.

This is a fun and entertaining performance by Pacino, but he is never coasting on this sort of bravado he's making work for the character. This as even in the moment of a mentally ill never-would-be assassin attempting to kill him leads to a bit of showboating. Pacino absolutely makes this work by showing the way Jimmy clicks into this manner essentially in the moment, loving to play for the crowd with his spirited demeanor as he mentors all on the need to rush a gunman but run from a knife man. Pacino is clearly having fun, but it works in showing the way Hoffa is having fun by making the most of the situation, as the man is never too modest to do a bit of self-promotion. That isn't all there is to Pacino here, even if on that alone would've made this the best Pacino's been on film for quite some time. This is as Pacino realizes quickly another time for Jimmy in his scenes with Frank just as friends, or with his family particularly his relationship with Frank's daughter the otherwise closed off Peggy. This as Pacino realizes Jimmy as an extremely likable guy in a general sense. This downplaying the politician and the leader, just to show perhaps the man who initially found power just by endearing himself to others. This in bringing an ease in his personality of man who at this more intimate level just exudes a genuine care for those around him. His interactions with De Niro aren't actually these actors sparring sessions. It is rather creating the sense of friendship between an extrovert and introvert. This in Pacino bringing this outward camaraderie, who is ready to support his friend, and always keep him in his good graces. This with Pacino bringing an earnestness in these quieter moments of just real friendship. This being even greater in his moments with Peggy where Pacino creates such an palatable warmth of a loving man in every moment. This crafting a sense of absolute sincerity towards her as this father she would wish she could've had. Although these moments in the grand scheme are brief, they are essential and Pacino makes the most out of them by speaking and giving every look with a pure sense of affection.

The private and the public man, that Pacino lives up to with a larger than life impact, while granting an amiable intimacy establishes the height of the man, which means there can only be a downfall. Pacino is great in this in that he shows that everything that allowed him to achieve greatness is as likely to create the final tragedy. This as we see in his two particularly important scenes with gangster and union boss Tony Pro (Stephen Graham). This as the two are the proverbial unstoppable force and unmovable object. This in these scenes Pacino portrays that same man so assured in himself though now working with a man who is just as assured, yet will go to even greater extremes to get what he wants. Pacino is fantastic in portraying such a strict stubbornness in every interaction. This as he looks at him with a quiet disdain, and brings such venom in every word. This even in moments of technical cordiality Pacino finds this pent up disdain, that he so naturally releases as this instinctual reaction to the man he views so lowly. I especially love their second confrontation as he makes the breakdown of negotiations so naturally inevitable, by speaking every word as just this decay towards his truth of hate towards the man which he releases with such brilliant intensity. Pacino realizes Hoffa in this deteriorating method, not because of a change in self, but a change in his power without an awareness of the situation he is in. Pacino becomes heartbreaking in such an interesting way as he finds this particular naivety as he speaks with still such confidence of his own position, and his own power even as it becomes all the more obvious he doesn't have it. Pacino is moving by showing the man still with this certainty towards his own strength that he cannot realize he is slowly digging his own grave. Take one of his best scenes with the other man I'll be getting to soon, in one of the last attempts to save Hoffa by asking him to basically calm down. Pacino is outstanding in the graciousness he brings towards the other man, even with these quick aside of frustration as disregard for the powers that be. This creating this striking conviction in the man, a conviction that is sadly nothing but a blindness to what it is. The same is seen in one of his final scenes with De Niro, where Frank tries to convince Jimmy that it is his last chance. Pacino's doggedness is amazing as it still is of the man who is just sure he has it all in control, and makes it all the more poignant in emphasizing the only point of concern towards Frank himself. This in his eyes showing care for Frank's well being while still being oblivious or at least too stubborn to see his own.  One of the saddest scenes being Pacino's brief final ones as he presents Hoffa still proceeding like business as usual, though with a bit more desperation, though without a single sense of the fate that awaits him. This is a return to form to Pacino, as he once again delivers a truly great performance. This as Pacino creates such a powerful and unique tragedy within his portrayal of Hoffa, as showing the man who in his estimation has always been right therefore cannot be wrong, not even at the bitter end.