Ranking De Niro's Performances In Scorsese Films

Scorsese getting the band back together can only be a cause for celebration. De Niro’s latter day work has come under a lot of criticism, and it’s fair to say the actor has phoned it in at times, but there was no way in hell he was going to do that for Marty. As an aging killer looking back on his violent life, De Niro is as engaged as he’s been in a long time, and in his ninth collaboration with Scorsese gives us a kind of Greatest Hits performance.

Much has been made of the newfangled de-aging technology used to allow De Niro to portray his character over five decades, and there’s no doubt it’ll be off putting for some. But for fans of this duo, it comes close to being heartwarming - closing in on 50 years after their first collaboration, they’re rolling back the years in style. This is a performance of remarkable maturity and experience: De Niro perfectly captures the regret and remorse of a man starting to realise just how badly he has misspent his life.

The subtlety of the role will likely mean it will not be one of the actor’s most memorable roles, but it’s terrific to see one of the true greats of cinema show that he’s still got the goods. And the fact that he’s doing it with his old buddy makes it all the more enjoyable. The film can’t help but feel like a swan-song, and if it’s the last time De Niro and Scorsese collaborate, it’s a hell of a way to go out.