Complex behaviors, hubris, machismo, tribalism, hair-trigger temperaments, mutual animal dislike, self-destructive personality traits — a whole lot going on here. Which is one reason why everyone agrees that this Irishman scene is (a) among the finest in this 209-minute film, and (b) one of the best of the year in any film. The only other Best Picture nominee that comes close to delivering on this level is Marriage Story. The other seven — 1917, Ford v Ferrari, Jojo Rabbit, Joker, Little Women, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, Parasite — don’t. They don’t have anything that even approaches it. Certainly not in terms of character complexity and surging undercurrents. I’m sorry but that’s the truth.
