Discover
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Danny DeVito
Director -
Donna Evans
Stunts -
Debra Zane
Casting -
David Mamet
Screenplay -
David Newman
Original Music Composer -
Ve Neill
Makeup Department Head -
Peter Bucossi
Stunts -
Stephen Hunter Flick
Supervising Sound Editor
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CinemaSerf 8/26/2023 7:59:15 AM
This is quite an interesting postulation about the internecine politics of the USA in the 1960s. Centring on the rise of the hugely charismatic Teamster's Union leader Jimmy Hoffa (Jack Nicholson) whom, aided by sidekick "Ciaro" (Danny DeVito), is determined to build his union into a formidable political force using whatever means necessary. To that end he hooks up with the mob (Armand Assante) before coming up against an equally focussed Bobby Kennedy (Kevin Anderson) bent on sending him to jail. The extent to which much of the detail in this interpretation of their lives is true is anyone's guess, but this depiction is a compelling one with two strong leading performances and a well paced feel to it. It also tracks the political scenario quite well too. We get a sense that, initially at any rate, Hoffa did want to improve the lot of his 1.8 million members before a degree of invincible megalomania set in. Director Danny DeVito offers us a potential conclusion too - as yet, nobody knows what actually happened to this powerhouse of a man, and though it is a bit too long, this is still a good watch.
Jon Favreau
ExtraTim Burton
Corpse (uncredited)Jack Nicholson
James R. 'Jimmy' HoffaDanny DeVito
Bobby CiaroJohn C. Reilly
Pete ConnellyArmand Assante
Carol D'AllesandroRobert Prosky
Billy FlynnPaul Guilfoyle
Ted Harmon