THE PLOT THUS FAR
A film based on the story of legendary union figure Jimmy Hoffa.
WHAT WE THOUGHT
“Hoffa” is uniquely told through the eyes of Hoffa’s best friend, Bobby Ciaro who is played by Danny DeVito, who also directs the film in his sometimes straightforward, sometimes offbeat style. Telling the story like this makes for an interesting narrative and gives the film a unique sense of style, telling the story of one man through the eyes of another. But what Hoffa really tries to accomplish is just telling the story. It focuses on getting all the details right and every important aspect of the story out there for all to see. What the film lacks is a lot of emotion or passion towards the subject matter.
Mamet’s Hoffa knows the Kennedy family built their fortune out of rum running to a large extent, and he sees no difference between their corruption and his own compromises. At least, Hoffa tells himself, his own deals with the devil serve something larger then his immediate family, they serve the membership of the union. And this was very true, which is why a fair number of Teamsters still swear by the name Jimmy Hoffa. Nicholson’s snide asides to his “betters” completely captures the class war basis that motivated the actual man’s actions. Anyone who has been through an actual labor dispute and has been witness to the patronizing communications that come through a company eager to crush a union effort knows full well what fired up Jimmy Hoffa, even as we turn aside from the path he took.
The Blu-Ray comes with commentary, news coverage, Teamster featurettes and cut scenes. Plus, you get a chance to take a look at the shooting script. The DTS-HD 5.1 master audio track is expansive and makes the soundstage come alive in a way I’ve never heard. Plus, the 1080p transfer on this new release just kills the old DVD dead. In the end, I’d recommend a purchase.
RELEASE DATE: OUT NOW!
