The Irishman

Right now you can watch The Irishman in Australia on Netflix, and in the US on Netflix — and it earns its twists rather than manufacturing them. A tight runtime that never overstays its welcome. An 8/10 rating says what the writing already makes obvious: this one works. Robert De Niro's performance alone is worth the time investment. Available now on Netflix — press play and find out why people keep recommending it.

The Irishman arrived without much fanfare and built its audience the hard way — through word of mouth. The Irishman treats its mystery as a means, not an end in itself. Pennsylvania, 1956. Frank Sheeran, a war veteran of Irish origin who works as a truck driver, accidentally meets mobster Russell Bufalino. Once Frank becomes his trusted man, Bufalino sends him to Chicago with the task of helping Jimmy Hoffa, a powerful union leader related to organized crime, with whom Frank will maintain a close friendship for nearly twenty years. Robert De Niro and Al Pacino lead a cast that never lets the mystery feel thin. It hit screens in 2019. The plot mechanics of The Irishman never overwhelm the human cost underneath them. The hit rate here is high enough that skipping ahead never feels like an option.

Viewers who think they have seen every crime drama tend to find The Irishman proves them wrong. It has built its own audience without needing a direct comparison. Short enough to finish in one sitting, substantial enough to feel satisfying. Robert De Niro anchors it, but the writing does the real work. If you are going to commit to one crime drama this month, make it this one.