Leonardo DiCaprio's Historical Crime Thriller On Paramount+ Is An Underappreciated Gem
From "Inception" to "Killers of the Flower Moon," Leonardo DiCaprio's name is synonymous with crime thrillers. But one movie that's often forgotten is 2002's "Gangs of New York," the historical epic directed by Martin Scorsese and co-starring Daniel Day-Lewis, now available on Paramount+.
The movie revolves around "Amsterdam" Vallon (DiCaprio) who, in 1862, returns to the Five Points neighborhood of New York City seeking revenge against William "Bill the Butcher" Cutting (Day-Lewis), the leader of an Anglo-Protestant gang and anti-immigrant scourge, for slaying his father "Priest" Vallon (Liam Neeson) and outlawing the Irish Catholics. Amsterdam's plans for vengeance come up against Tammany Hall and the draft riots of 1863.
Scorsese's movie had a troubled production. There were cost overruns brought on by technically challenging sequences, reshoots at the request of the soon-to-be-disgraced Harvey Weinstein, and further delays brought on by the September 11, 2001 attacks. While praised by critics and collecting a fair box office haul of $193.7 million, it ultimately didn't leave the same impact as other DiCaprio/Scorsese collaborations such as "The Aviator" or "The Departed."
Gangs of New York didn't win a single of its 10 Oscar noms
The biggest snub "Gangs of New York" may have endured was getting nominated for 10 Oscars and losing every single one of them at the 2003 Academy Awards. This included Daniel Day-Lewis for best actor, Martin Scorsese for best director, and the movie for best picture. But when it came to light that Miramax had commissioned an article with producer Robert Wise saying the film deserved best Picture, there was backlash.
As a result, "Gangs of New York" went home empty-handed, and the ruckus caused by Miramax's faux pas forced production companies to rethink how they campaigned for accolades. In hindsight, many say that Day-Lewis and Scorsese were snubbed. Day-Lewis, in particular, boasts Bill the Butcher as one of his best performances, developing a savvy talker and sadistic individual who hates anyone who's not a relative of the United States' Founding Fathers.
The film itself has received other notable criticisms, including certain characters who fans felt ruined the movie and the many historical inaccuracies presented. Scorsese may have been disappointed to see his passion project not be as pristine a production as he had envisioned. Ultimately though, he got the movie made, and it started the fruitful partnership between him and Leonardo DiCaprio that certainly made the troubles worth it.