Jack Nicholson is especially convincing as Jimmy Hoffa and fuels every scene. Hoffa is not afraid to get his hands dirty or his head busted (or worse) for the sake of the union.
Chaos runs amok during awful riot scenes, and it looks great. I don't think there is a bad shot in this whole film, and the flashback transitions are done smoothly. The profanity, guns, and general behavior of Hoffa had me feeling like the second half was a mob flick, reminding me of how the opening scene of the movie carried a charismatic charm to it along those lines.
When Hoffa wins after a bitter strike with a company, I was happy for him. DeVito, who directed and stars in the film as an amalgamation of Hoffa's associates over the years, does a terrific job of showing why Hoffa was so loved by the workers he fought for. The camaraderie, though fictional, between Hoffa and DeVito, softens the film. I found myself smiling at their rise to power and the friendship they've made together.
Upon the film's periodical return to the ominous roadhouse that Hoffa last visited before vanishing without a trace, I found myself feeling excited as a new scene from the past began to play, wholly fascinated by the conflict as Hoffa tussled with Attorney General Robert Kennedy. I wasn't born yet to experience the events of the movie, but the drama and action were a pleasant distraction from my ignorance. This is a cozy trip back in time, despite the film not really explaining what is going on outside of the action. This could be seen as a problem, given the film's lengthy run-time.
The film offers a theory as to what happened to Hoffa, and it comes as a twist that I thought was wonderfully written, reminding me of the tragic end of Talk Radio, made by Oliver Stone, who could've also done well at the helm of this story, but I cannot fault DeVito's efforts. He couldn't help his friend (without a gun because he'd given it to Hoffa for his own protection) after Hoffa helped him.
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