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"Hoffa" is a story about the rise and fall of Teamster leader James "Jimmy" Hoffa (Jack Nicholson) as told by his loyal associate Bobby Ciaro (Danny DeVito).
Hoffa organized Teamsters from the Great Depression to 1975. The greatest force driving the labor movement, Hoffa recruited members by " jumping" trucks, organizing meetings, setting up pickets, and even sabotaging businesses. Hoffa fought fire with fire, and his tactics and attitude gained him respect and support. Unfortunately, this would also contribute to his fall. Hoffa began dealing with the Mafia and investing union funds in their businesses. Concern over the size, the violence of the movement, and hatred of Hoffa lead U.S. Attorney General Robert Kennedy (Kevin Anderson) to attempt to convict him of embezzling union funds. Hoffa humiliated the Kennedy family during the hearings. By 1959 Kennedy guided Congress in passing union limiting legislation, and Hoffa was successfully imprisoned under the new laws. After his release, Hoffa would meet with the Mafia in an attempt to regain control of the Teamsters. This would be the last time Jimmy Hoffa was ever seen. Written by David Mamet and directed by Danny DeVito, the film drives home the absolute determination and dedication Jimmy Hoffa put into the labor movement. He lives and breathes union. His eyes are filled with vengeance, not optimism. Willing to do business with the Mafia to advance the cause, Hoffa believes he is doing nothing more than the politicians who are trying to stop him. His cause is for a whole class of people, not just his family. The director doesn't get into the Kennedy family issues except as they pertain to Hoffa. Little mention is made of their corruption or involvement with the Mafia, as this would have been a distraction from the driven Hoffa portrayal. The movie spans from the early 1930s to 1975. The special affects, makeup, and settings were excellent. The clothes, cars, guns, cigarettes, and makeup smoothly transitioned the forty year time frame. Jack Nicholson's portrayal of Jimmy Hoffa was awesome: the viewer could feel the rage and determination Hoffa felt.
The exclusion of other historical events revolving around his disappearance, and the speculative ending was disappointing, and leaves the viewer with an inaccurate depiction of his disappearance. In reality, Jimmy Hoffa's body has never been located, and he is only presumed dead.
score 9/10
banditstinkey 27 February 2006
Reprint: https://www.imdb.com/review/rw1302431/ |
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30-11-2019 08:20:35
