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The Irishman poster

Is The Irishman OK for Kids?

CrimeDramaHistory
17+
R⭐ 7.8 / 102019 · 3h 29m
Martin Scorsese

Where to Watch

United States

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What's In It

Based on the actual screenplay
🗡️Violence
Extreme▼
Moments in the script, mildest → most intense
0
Cartoon / Comedic
0
Action & Peril
1
Injuries & Death Shown
6
Graphic & Disturbing
  • Frank brutally beats a grocery store owner who shoved his daughter, establishing his capacity for extreme violence in defense of family
  • The bombing of Cadillac Linen Service in Delaware is depicted as Frank's entry into serious organized crime work
  • The murder of Whispers DiTullio is planned and executed in graphic detail
  • Crazy Joe Gallo's assassination in a Little Italy restaurant is shown with graphic gunshot wounds, with innocent bystanders including children present
  • Prison violence includes fights between Jimmy Hoffa and Tony Pro
  • Jimmy Hoffa's disappearance, the film's central crime, is implied murder rather than shown directly, but built up with heavy dread
  • Multiple casual references to mob hits, strangulation, and killings recur throughout in dialogue
  • Weapons include guns and explosives, and violence is often committed with cold, business-like detachment by mob characters
💬Language
Extreme▼
Moments in the script, mildest → most intense
0
Mild Words
(damn, hell)
0
Moderate
(ass, b**ch)
85
Strong
(sh*t)
422
Extreme
(f**k)
  • 'F**k/f**king' is used 386 times, an extraordinarily high count
  • 'Motherf**ker' is used 28 times and 'cocksucker' 31 times
  • 'Bulls**t' appears 19 times, 's**t' 23 times, and 'hell' 12 times
  • Assorted ethnic slurs are used 8 times
  • The language is relentless and coarse throughout, consistent with its mob setting
👻Scary Scenes
Extreme▼
Moments in the script, mildest → most intense
1
Mildly Tense
1
Startling Moments
1
Genuinely Scary
2
Deeply Disturbing
  • Casual discussion of mob murders and body disposal is unsettling because of how nonchalantly characters treat killing
  • Jimmy Hoffa's dawning realization of his impending death is portrayed as genuinely disturbing
  • The slow, dread-filled setup and execution of Hoffa's disappearance at the Red Fox restaurant is a startling, tense sequence
  • Multiple FBI interrogation scenes carry tense, implied threats without explicit violence
  • References to killing witnesses and family members as threats are chilling in their real-world implications
  • There are no horror-style jump scares; the fear here is psychological dread built through pacing and implication
💕Romance
Moderate▼
Moments in the script, mildest → most intense
1
Crushes & Holding Hands
1
Kissing & Dating
1
Suggestive
0
Sexual Content
  • Young Peggy has an innocent, crush-like affection for Jimmy Hoffa, portrayed through his mentorship of her
  • Frank and Irene share kissing moments within their marriage, nothing explicit
  • References to Frank leaving his wife for another woman named Mary are suggestive but not shown on screen
  • There is no sexual content depicted at any point in the film
🍺Substances
Moderate▼
Moments in the script, mildest → most intense
2
Mentioned in Passing
1
Shown Casually
1
Featured Prominently
0
Glorified or Abused
  • Gambling operations and loan-sharking are central and prominent throughout the plot
  • Alcohol consumption is shown casually at bars and social events
  • Cigarette smoking is referenced casually throughout
  • Prison medicine (Neurontin) is mentioned in passing
  • Substances are depicted as part of the criminal lifestyle rather than glamorized
⚡Stimulation
Extreme▼
Moments in the script, mildest → most intense
0
Gently Engaging
0
Exciting
3
Intense
1
Overwhelming
  • A chase scene at the Chicago dock tied to unionization efforts is intense and fast-moving
  • Jimmy Hoffa's aggressive confrontations and outbursts create sustained tense energy
  • The final car ride leading to Hoffa's disappearance is a slow-building, intense sequence with heavy dread
  • The extended legal and political intrigue spanning decades can feel overwhelming due to the film's length and complexity
  • The sustained tension and over three-hour runtime make this unsuitable for sensory-sensitive or younger children
The Irishman — Heads Up for Parents

Despite being framed as a historical crime drama about union corruption, the film contains extremely frequent extreme profanity (386 uses of 'f**k/f**king') and a graphic assassination of Crazy Joe Gallo in a restaurant full of bystanders, including children, which may catch parents off guard.

About The Irishman

"The Irishman" is a sprawling crime drama that follows Frank Sheeran, a mob hitman, across decades as he becomes entangled with Teamsters union leader Jimmy Hoffa and organized crime figures. The tone is somber and reflective, tracing Frank's rise through violence and betrayal to a lonely, regretful old age where he seeks confession and forgiveness. It is a slow-burn character study rather than an action film, but its subject matter is dark and morally heavy throughout.

⚠️
Watch with your child
The extreme profanity count, graphic mob violence such as Crazy Joe Gallo's restaurant assassination, and heavy themes of betrayal and family estrangement make this appropriate only for older teens (17+) with a parent present to discuss the moral weight of Frank's choices.

Family Takeaways from The Irishman

What it gets right

  • ✓The film shows real consequences of a life of crime through Frank's isolated, regretful old age and estrangement from his daughter
  • ✓Frank's deathbed confession scenes with the priest depict a genuine reckoning with a lifetime of violence rather than glorifying it

The Irishman Cultural & Values Guide

Cultural & Values Guide

Faith & Religion
●Christian themes

Frank Sheeran's Catholic guilt and fear of divine judgment become increasingly central as he ages, with confession scenes and religious imagery reflecting his spiritual torment over his violent past.

Cast:Robert De NiroAl PacinoJoe PesciHarvey KeitelRay Romano

Is The Irishman Appropriate for Your Child's Age?

✗Age 5: Not recommended for 5-year-olds
✗Age 8: Not recommended for 8-year-olds
✗Age 10: Not recommended for 10-year-olds
✗Age 12: Not recommended for 12-year-olds
✗Age 13: Not recommended for 13-year-olds
✗Age 15: Not recommended for 15-year-olds
✓Age 17: Generally appropriate for 17-year-olds

Individual children may vary — use your judgment.

Parents also ask about The Irishman

  • Is The Irishman appropriate for a 17-year-old?
  • Does The Irishman have violence?
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