The Irishman Ending Explained
The Irishman, directed by Martin Scorsese, wraps up with Frank Sheeran, played by Robert De Niro, reflecting on his life as a mob hitman in a nursing home. In his final days, Frank deals with regret, family rejection, and questions about forgiveness after decades of violence. For more on the full plot, check out the detailed summary on https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Irishman[1].
The story flashes back to Frank’s rise in the 1950s as a truck driver in Philadelphia who starts stealing meat deliveries and selling them to gangster Skinny Razor. This leads him to union lawyer Bill Bufalino, who clears his legal trouble, pulling Frank into the world of mob boss Russell Bufalino, played by Joe Pesci. Frank becomes a loyal hitman, handling jobs for the Bufalino crime family and later befriending union leader Jimmy Hoffa, portrayed by Al Pacino[1].
Tensions build as Hoffa clashes with the Mafia over his power grabs. In 1975, on the way to a wedding, Russell tells Frank the bosses want Hoffa dead and that Frank must do it to prove loyalty. Frank flies to Detroit, meets Hoffa at a house, and shoots him at close range when Hoffa realizes it’s a setup. Mobsters later cremate the body to hide it[1].
Years pass. Frank serves time in prison, gets out, and ends up in the nursing home after his wife’s death. He tries to reconnect with his daughters, but his oldest, Peggy, cuts him off completely. She suspects he killed Hoffa and wants nothing to do with him[1].
The real emotional punch comes in Frank’s talks with a priest. Frank confesses bits of his past but seeks full absolution for everything, admitted or not. The priest offers comfort, saying God forgives broadly. As the priest leaves, Frank asks him to leave the door slightly open, just like Hoffa always did for safety. This small detail shows Frank haunted by Hoffa’s murder right up to the end. He sits alone, staring at an empty house across the street, maybe picturing that final moment with Hoffa[1].
This ending highlights Frank’s isolation. No one forgives him fully, not his family, and even his own mind traps him in guilt. The film leaves it open whether Frank truly finds peace or just delays facing his sins. Videos like this one explore if these events match real history: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nt26idVwMRg[2]. Another breaks down the accuracy of the characters: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K3OtzmB9NJo[3].
Frank’s story questions loyalty, regret, and what it means to live with blood on your hands. The door left ajar is a quiet nod to unfinished business.
Sources
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Irishman
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nt26idVwMRg
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K3OtzmB9NJo
