Pangs of New York

Watched Gangs of New York yesterday. Was I impressed? Yes. Was I disappointed? Yes.

Gangs (as you probably know) is directed by Martin Scorsese and stars Daniel Day Lewis, Leonardo DiCaprio and Cameron Diaz. In 1846 a massive gang battle is fought to determine who will rule the 5 Points in New York. During this battle, leader of the Natives, Will Cutting (Lewis), kills leader of the immigrants, Priest Vallon (Liam Nesson), all witness by Vallon's son. His son grows up to be Amsterdam Vallon (DiCaprio) and wants avenge his fathers death. Diaz plays Jenny Everdeane, a pickpocket and love interest with not much else to do.

First the good things. Lewis is bloody amazing. You don't think "There's Daniel Day Lewis" when he's on the screen, the same way you might think that of DiCaprio, you think "That Butcher Bill is a fucking fruitcake". He is big, mean, loud, funny, brutal, hard charismatic psycho. He fills the screen and knocks everyone out of the water. The only other guy that is even close to matching him is Happy Jack (John C Reilly) who isn't onscreen barely enough. The sets are also great. No CGI, I read before I went to see it. The production and costumes (especially the top hats) are stunning.

The movie is great up to the bit where Vallon tries to kill Cutting. After that the movies seems rushed. Vallon is scarred for life, but the scar disappears after a few minutes screen time. He builds up an army within a few minutes screen time. Principle characters that the first 2 hours spent building up, are dispatched with a passing glance. The mobs formed due to Lincon's Drafts suddenly spring up with hardly any reason. You are rushed past everything so quickly that mobs start fighting the police and you're not sure why. It's confused.

I read that producer Harvey Weinstein was breathing down Scorsese's neck for the whole movie, and force it to be cut down from 4 hours to 2.30. I would love to see the missing footage (hurrah for DVD's) and hopefully it'll flesh out the last 30 minutes of the movie.

My cliché to describe this film is "a flawed masterpiece" or "a sprawling mess" and "I'd still recommend it."