(Review originally written at 31 December 2003)
I don't know what to make of this movie. It's not funny enough for a comedy, too funny for a drama and not dark enough to be a dark comedy. I just can't put my finger on it.
The story is nice but it has some obvious cliche's in it. There are (too) few moments that make it seem that master director Scorsese directed this movie, other then that the movie is only just average and misses the special touch and feeling.
De Niro is great and puts down a great character that is worth remembering. Jerry Lewis pulls of quit well but turns pale compared to De Niro's performance. The rest of the cast plays a too minor role with as a result that De Niro alone needs to carry this movie but that's something that didn't failed.
There are some genius scene's and moments that are done and work very well (the ending is great!) but too few to pull up the level of this movie. The comical elements and dialogue in the movie are good but there are simply not enough of it.
A bit of a disappointing Scorsese & De Niro co-operation. You would and should expect more fireworks from those two, especially when they are working together. But the movie is far from a failure and still recommendable.
7/10
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