In 1863, Amsterdam Vallon returns to the Five Points of America to seek vengeance against the psychotic gangland kingpin, Bill the Butcher, who murdered his father years earlier. With an eager pickpocket by his side and a whole new army, Vallon fights his way to seek vengeance on the Butcher and restore peace in the area.
I recall meeting Daniel Day-Lewis some years ago, he had just stepped from his motor bike and proved to be a charming, engaging man extremely far removed from the racist and odious "Bill the Butcher" character he so expertly creates in this hard, gritty and brutal depiction of the almost tribal existences lived by many in 1860s New York. Leonardo di Caprio ("Vallon") arrives in that city's Five Points area determined to avenge the death of his father many years earlier at the hands of this ruthless overlord. Initially ingratiating himself, he soon realises that it's going to take every ounce of his courage and resilience to challenge the status quo, and that some hefty sacrifices are going to have to be made. He is not just struggling against his nemesis, but against prejudice, corruption and a prevailing, endemic, sense of fear. The supporting cast are what really makes this special - Cameron Diaz, again so far removed from her more famous roles, alongside Jim Broadbent as the shrewd, but rather cowardly "Boss Tweed"; Brendan Gleeson and John C. Reilly all contribute to this tautly directed story of lawlessness and loyalty - with a bit of Civil War conscription thrown in to add to the toxicity of it all. The last 20 minutes are really captivating, and Scorsese with some masterful scoring from Howard Shore manages to leave us feeling exhilarated and uncomfortable at the same time!
