Kill The Irishman (2011– 106mins) Ray Stevenson, Vincent D’ Onofrio

Kill the Irishman is an entertaining true story of Danny Greene, something of a local folk hero from the streets of Cleveland. The man who the cops couldn’t get permanently and the mob couldn’t kill. He started off simply enough as a working stiff in the unions. His natural leadership,charisma and strength help high climb those ranks and eventually he goes from union leader to teamster to full fledged mobster. However, there is always the scraps with the law and the other ethnic mobs. Along the way he enures himself to the locals as a sort of local “robin hood” with his deeds and taking care of his own community.

The movie plays a bit like a lighter “Goodfellas” or “Casino”. It’s got some big names and faces but they don’t play too much of a prominent role to be gimmicky. It’s definitely an entertaining movie and one which keeps you interested the whole time. Stevenson does an amazing job of being part likeable, and part despicable at the same time, which is a good thing for a gangster genre film. You have times of each but ultimately you feel for the guy and want him to succeed. People like D’Onofrio and Walken while both decent in the movie, aren’t in it enough to make a huge contribution, but any more, then they could take away from the great job the Stevenson does as Greene.

Verdict–> The charm in this Indy could be it’s only fault. It’s not glitz or glam or polished in it’s look which could turn some people away.Yet, I did enjoy the movie and would recommend it to anyone who likes a good gangster type story with a bit of history to it, as the whole thing is advertised as “a true story”.

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