'KILL THE IRISHMAN' - A movie that borrows from the best.
Updated: Jan 27, 2022
"Kill the Irishman" (2011) Directed by: Jonathan Hensleigh.
Danny Greene waged a war with the organized crime bosses for control of Cleveland's unions. In his wake, he left their operation gutted, and the mob has never rebuilt in that rustbelt capital. With a script that feels like a first draft of Goodfellas, it's easy to see why it may have slipped under the radar. he starts off as a tough kid, who can't take being bullied by kids the movie implies are the children of Italian Mobsters.
He works the docks until he is able to reluctantly take over the union boss position. You could say this movie stole some from the Godfather, too. Or borrows, but you know what they say about great art? The take was also lackluster – less than 2m on a $12m budget. Still, though, watching a man survive a carbomb, a drive-by shooting, and even an explosion that brings his home crashing down on him – well this is why we love true crime stories: you cannot make this stuff up.
Even if the script is a bit stilted and on the nose, it makes for a fun watch. There are some men you don't meet every day. Such a one is Danny Greene.
