The Irishman Loyalty vs Betrayal Explained
The Irishman is a movie directed by Martin Scorsese that dives into the life of Frank Sheeran, a truck driver turned hitman for the mafia. Starring Robert De Niro as Frank, Joe Pesci as mob boss Russell Bufalino, and Al Pacino as union leader Jimmy Hoffa, the story explores how loyalty in the criminal world often leads straight to betrayal. Frank’s journey shows the thin line between staying true to your bosses and turning on your closest friendshttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Irishman.
Frank starts as a simple delivery driver in 1950s Philadelphia. He gets caught stealing meat from his truck and selling it to a local gangster called Skinny Razor, who works for the Philadelphia crime family under Angelo Bruno. Instead of jail, Frank meets union lawyer Bill Bufalino, who fixes his legal mess. This pulls Frank into the world of organized crime. Soon, he meets Russell Bufalino, a powerful mobster from northeastern Pennsylvania. Russell takes Frank under his wing, turning him into a trusted hitman. Their bond is rock solid at first. Frank does jobs for Russell without question, proving his loyalty by handling dirty work like murdershttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Irishman.
Loyalty shines brightest when Frank connects with Jimmy Hoffa. Hoffa runs the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, a huge union with mafia ties. Hoffa faces threats from rival Tony Pro and federal investigators. Frank becomes Hoffa’s main bodyguard and close friend. Hoffa’s warmth even wins over Frank’s young daughter Peggy, who adores him. Frank feels deep loyalty to both men. Russell is his mafia family, the one who gave him power and purpose. Hoffa is like a brother, sharing family moments and trust. Frank juggles their demands, staying loyal by keeping secrets and enforcing their ruleshttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Irishman.
Tensions build as Hoffa clashes with the mafia over union control. Tony Pro pushes Hoffa out, and bigger mob pressures mount. Russell stays calm but loyal to the crime family’s code. He orders Frank to handle problems, including watching Hoffa closely. Frank’s loyalty to Russell never wavers, even as it strains his tie to Hoffa. The breaking point comes in 1975. Hoffa plans a meeting, but it’s a setup. Frank leads him to an empty house, then shoots him at close range. He leaves the gun and walks away as other mobsters clean up by cremating the body. This act seals Frank’s betrayal of Hoffa, all to prove loyalty to Russell and the mafiahttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Irishman.
Years later, old and in a nursing home, Frank reflects on his choices. His wife dies, and his daughters drift away. Peggy cuts him off completely, sensing he killed Hoffa. Frank seeks forgiveness from a priest but lives with regret. He asks the priest to leave the door ajar, just like Hoffa always did for safety. The movie paints loyalty as a mafia survival tool, where you obey the boss above all. But it always risks betrayal of personal bonds. Frank’s story warns that in this world, loyalty to the family means betraying anyone who gets in the wayhttps://www.tvguide.com/movies/the-irishman/2000247233/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Irishman.
The film draws from real events around Jimmy Hoffa’s mysterious disappearance, with Frank as a hitman looking back on his secrets in the Bufalino crime familyhttps://www.pastemagazine.com/movies/the-irishman/joe-pesci-joins-the-irishmanhttps://www.tvguide.com/movies/the-irishman/2000247233/.
Sources
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Irishman
https://www.tvguide.com/movies/the-irishman/2000247233/
https://www.pastemagazine.com/movies/the-irishman/joe-pesci-joins-the-irishman
