“Kill the Irishman” (2011) – Film Review

“Kill the Irishman” is a gritty crime drama directed by Jonathan Hensleigh, released in 2011, which details the life of Danny Greene, a notorious Irish-American mobster who defied the Mafia and brought chaos to Cleveland in the 1970s. The film, based on Rick Porrello’s book To Kill the Irishman, is a fascinating look at a figure in organized crime who isn’t often the focus of Hollywood films. While the film didn’t see great box office success, it has since become a cult favorite on streaming platforms, continuing to attract an audience for its raw portrayal of mob warfare, its memorable performances, and its somewhat under-the-radar status as a true-crime drama.

The Life of Danny Greene

Danny Greene is often a lesser-known figure in the American Mafia story. Unlike infamous names like Al Capone or John Gotti, Greene was a relatively local figure, a man who took on the Mafia in Cleveland during a time when the Mob was trying to maintain its stronghold across the U.S. His rise to power, his violent confrontations, and his ultimate demise all combine to make for a fascinating story, one that Kill the Irishman seeks to tell with grit and brutal honesty.

The film doesn’t just focus on Greene’s relationship with organized crime. It also delves into his personal life, examining the complexities of his loyalty to his Irish roots and his struggle to balance his violent work with his desire for family and security. The portrayal of Greene’s relationships with friends and enemies alike is deeply human, showing him as more than just a mobster. It gives a sense of his moral conflict and his refusal to back down, even in the face of overwhelming odds.

Behind the Scenes and Special Effects

At the core of Kill the Irishman lies a true-crime story that could easily have been told with a traditional narrative. However, despite its compelling story, the film didn’t have the budget for the lavish action scenes or large-scale explosions you might expect from similar films in the genre. While the movie is thoroughly enjoyable, its small budget limits the scope and impact of some of its more significant sequences.

The film’s special effects are particularly noticeable for their lack of polish. The story involves bombings and shootouts, but the explosions and car crashes, key elements of the mob violence that marked the era, fail to deliver the visceral impact expected of such a tale. The CGI used for some of the bomb explosions is noticeably dated, particularly in comparison to larger-budget productions from the same time. With more resources, the effect of these scenes could have been far more compelling. Unfortunately, this lack of depth in the action scenes is one area where the film’s small budget is evident. However, it doesn’t detract from the emotional weight of the story, as the film’s focus is more on the characters, their motivations, and the personal impact of a life surrounded by violence.

Despite the less-than-stellar effects, the film makes up for this with its powerful narrative and impressive performances, making the action sequences more of a backdrop than the main focus. The fact that the film thrives in a different way speaks volumes about the creative decisions behind it and the attention paid to the dramatic elements.

Performances and Character Dynamics

Ray Stevenson, who plays Danny Greene, delivers a standout performance, embodying the character’s raw power and quiet resolve. He presents Greene as a man who is always one step ahead, yet constantly aware of the price that must be paid for defying the Mafia. His portrayal shows Greene as someone who is both a victim of his circumstances and a force to be reckoned with, straddling the line between a hero and a villain. This duality in the character is key to understanding why Greene’s life story resonates even now, despite being a more local mobster.

Stevenson is supported by a strong ensemble cast, including Vincent D’Onofrio as mobster John Nardi, Christopher Walken as Shondor Birns, and Val Kilmer as the well-meaning but conflicted cop Joe Manditski. Each of these performances adds a layer of complexity to the film, giving us a sense of the people around Greene and the varying degrees of moral alignment within the underworld.

• Vincent D’Onofrio: D’Onofrio’s portrayal of John Nardi, a rival mobster who ultimately becomes one of Greene’s greatest enemies, is a standout. D’Onofrio’s performance brings depth to his character, making Nardi more than just a typical mob boss. He makes Nardi’s drive for control and vengeance palpable, giving a nuanced interpretation of a character who might otherwise be relegated to a standard antagonist role.
• Christopher Walken: Walken, as the aging loan shark Shondor Birns, brings his trademark eccentricity and gravity to the role, balancing moments of dark humor with the dangerous reality of Birns’s lifestyle. Walken’s scenes give the film a nice contrast in tone, bringing both levity and menace at once.
• Val Kilmer: Kilmer plays Joe Manditski, the cop caught between his desire to uphold the law and his increasing admiration for Greene. His role is smaller, but he adds an additional layer of intrigue to the story by portraying the moral gray areas that sometimes come into play when fighting against organized crime.

The film’s performances shine brightest in the interactions between these characters, each struggling with their own form of morality, and the performances are key to maintaining the film’s authenticity despite its limited budget.

Streaming Success and Cult Following

Upon its release, Kill the Irishman failed to make much of an impact at the box office. Despite being a solid crime thriller with strong performances and a compelling narrative, it simply didn’t find its footing with mainstream audiences at the time. However, the film found new life on streaming platforms, where its straightforward narrative, engaging characters, and the fascinating true-crime story were appreciated by a much broader audience. Streaming platforms gave the film a second chance, allowing it to reach the people who would appreciate its gritty realism and no-frills storytelling.

The film’s success in this space is a testament to the changing way people consume media. Films that may have been overlooked in theaters are finding audiences in the digital age, and Kill the Irishman is a prime example of this trend. It’s the kind of film that, while not necessarily groundbreaking in its cinematic style or special effects, is strong enough in its narrative and performances to warrant revisiting. Its modest success in the streaming world shows that good storytelling and strong character work can make up for a lot of technical flaws, especially in today’s crowded film market.

A Story of Loyalty, Betrayal, and Violence

Kill the Irishman isn’t just a mob movie; it’s a story of loyalty, betrayal, and the explosive nature of unchecked violence. Danny Greene’s rise in the Cleveland underworld is marked by his defiance and desire for control, while his eventual downfall is driven by the same forces that made him powerful in the first place. The film does a good job of highlighting the destructive nature of organized crime—how loyalty to one’s crew or family can turn into blind violence, and how the desire for power and vengeance can lead to inevitable ruin.

Greene’s personal relationships, especially with those closest to him, are central to the film’s heart. While he is a product of his environment, Greene’s loyalty to his people is unwavering, and this loyalty drives much of the tension in the narrative. This mix of moral conflict and explosive violence is the driving force behind the story, allowing the film to explore deeper themes of identity, survival, and redemption.

The Power of the Story

Ultimately, Kill the Irishman is more than just a mob film—it’s a reflection on the cost of violence, the fragility of power, and the complexity of human relationships. Its unflinching portrayal of the Mafia’s underworld, paired with its exploration of a lesser-known figure in mob history, sets it apart from other films in the genre. The characters’ motivations, the tension in their interactions, and the willingness of the film to embrace the brutal reality of organized crime make it stand out as a crime drama with weight. Even though its budget and special effects may not match the standard of larger-scale films, the story is strong enough to carry the film forward, and the performances from the cast—particularly from Stevenson and D’Onofrio—provide the heart and depth necessary for it to resonate with audiences.

Its success on streaming platforms further demonstrates that sometimes it’s not about the initial box office performance but the lasting impact a film can have over time. In the case of Kill the Irishman, its second life online allows it to be appreciated by a new generation of viewers who might have missed it on its initial release, and in doing so, it becomes a cult classic in the true-crime genre.