Our Hero De Niro

This week, the Mikes celebrate Fabs' birthday by revisiting Whiplash, Damien Chazelle's blistering psychological drama about ambition, obsession, and the brutal pursuit of greatness. We break down J.K. Simmons' terrifying performance as Fletcher, Miles Teller's transformation into an increasingly single-minded drummer, and whether extraordinary achievement can ever justify the abuse and sacrifice required to reach it. Plus: gas-station Viagra, birthday-gift revenge, and whether human blood can defeat an iPad's water resistance.   Wikipedia page for Whiplash.   Films recommended this episode:   The Social Network Babylon   Follow Mike and Mike on Letterboxd @MikeBackAtYou and @mikethefab, email them at [email protected], check out their website ourherodeniro.com, and find them on social media at allmylinks.com/ourherodeniro.   Next week: The Comeback Trail   Supplemental link A picture of the birthday gifts

This week, the Mikes dig into Heist, a straight-to-VOD action thriller about a desperate casino employee, a sick daughter, a botched robbery, and a hijacked city bus full of hostages. We break down De Niro's sleazy turn as vaping crime boss Mr. Pope, Jeffrey Dean Morgan's sturdy leading-man work, and why a movie this generic still manages to deliver some modest B-movie momentum. Plus: Criss Angel-coded card tricks, Walking Dead repressed memories, and the first-ever appearance of De Niro digital smoke.   Wikipedia page for Heist.   Films recommended this episode:   Heist (2001) Reservoir Dogs   Follow Mike and Mike on Letterboxd @MikeBackAtYou and @mikethefab, email them at [email protected], check out their website ourherodeniro.com, and find them on social media at allmylinks.com/ourherodeniro.   Next week: Mikethefab's birthday pick

This week, the Mikes dig into Stardust, Matthew Vaughn's romantic fantasy adventure about fallen stars, scheming princes, powerful witches, and one extremely charming sky pirate. We break down De Niro's delightful turn as Captain Shakespeare, Claire Danes and Charlie Cox's fairy-tale romance, and why a movie this whimsical still left one Mike wishing every fantasy story were secretly post-apocalyptic sci-fi. Plus: Neil Gaiman cancellation discourse, Michelle Pfeiffer appreciation hour, and the logistics of guarding a four-foot wall between worlds.   Wikipedia page for Stardust.   Films recommended this episode: Kingsman: The Secret Service Howl's Moving Castle Follow Mike and Mike on Letterboxd @MikeBackAtYou and @mikethefab, email them at [email protected], check out their website ourherodeniro.com, and find them on social media at allmylinks.com/ourherodeniro.   Next week: Heist

This week, the Mikes dig into Jackie Brown, Quentin Tarantino's cool, restrained crime drama about aging, survival, second chances, and one very carefully engineered half-million-dollar score. We break down Pam Grier's magnetic lead performance, Robert Forster's quietly devastating turn as Max Cherry, and De Niro's wonderfully schlubby work as Louis Gara, while debating whether this might be Tarantino's most mature and emotionally grounded film. Plus: Wikipedia account discourse, Ordell's untouchable car-stereo levels, and Robert De Niro ripping bongs in a handlebar mustache.   Wikipedia page for Jackie Brown.   Films recommended this episode: Out of Sight Inglorious Basterds Follow Mike and Mike on Letterboxd @MikeBackAtYou and @mikethefab, email them at [email protected], check out their website ourherodeniro.com, and find them on social media at allmylinks.com/ourherodeniro.   Next week: Stardust   Supplemental link: That picture of Quentin Tarantino

This week, the Mikes dig into About My Father, a late-period De Niro comedy built around Sebastian Maniscalco's Italian-American family persona and one very awkward weekend with the future in-laws. We break down De Niro's warm, engaged performance as Salvo, the film's undercooked culture-clash setup, and why a movie about father-son tension doesn't quite create enough tension to make the comedy land. Plus: micropenis philosophy, helicopter refusal discourse, and whether a Nissan Altima counts as a luxury sedan.   Wikipedia page for About My Father.   Films recommended this episode: Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home The Farewell Follow Mike and Mike on Letterboxd @MikeBackAtYou and @mikethefab, email them at [email protected], check out their website ourherodeniro.com, and find them on social media at allmylinks.com/ourherodeniro.   Next week: Jackie Brown   Supplemental links: Dang! What's up with all these books? Eggs Tyrone

This week, the Mikes dig into The Last Tycoon, Elia Kazan's prestige-heavy adaptation of F. Scott Fitzgerald's unfinished Hollywood novel about power, grief, and the machinery behind old studio filmmaking. We break down De Niro's coolly reserved performance as Monroe Stahr, the film's gorgeous production design and score, and why a movie with this much talent can still feel so dramatically lifeless. Plus: boy wonder discourse, the case for expensive glasses, and an impromptu review of Inception.   Wikipedia page for The Last Tycoon.   Films recommended this episode:   On the Waterfront The Gambler   Follow Mike and Mike on Letterboxd @MikeBackAtYou and @mikethefab, email them at [email protected], check out their website ourherodeniro.com, and find them on social media at allmylinks.com/ourherodeniro.   Next week: About My Father   Supplemental link: Chase's review of On the Waterfront

This week, the Mikes return to the Fockerverse with Meet the Fockers, the blockbuster sequel that brings Jack Byrnes face-to-face with Greg's extremely affectionate, extremely boundary-free parents. We break down De Niro's increasingly paranoid Jack, Ben Stiller's familiar spiral of lies and panic, and how Dustin Hoffman and Barbra Streisand bring real comic energy to a sequel that never quite matches the original. Plus: Greg Focker being punished by God, whether baby talk is actually bad, and the dream of an abstract De Niro gallery installation.   Wikipedia page for Meet the Fockers.   Films recommended this episode:   The Royal Tenenbaums Pleasantville   Follow Mike and Mike on Letterboxd @MikeBackAtYou and @mikethefab, email them at [email protected], check out their website ourherodeniro.com, and find them on social media at allmylinks.com/ourherodeniro.   Next week: The Last Tycoon

This week, the Mikes celebrate their 90th episode by crossing into an alternate universe for The Pacino Pals and digging into Glengarry Glen Ross, David Mamet's pressure-cooker drama about desperate salesmen, terrible leads, and the corrosive pursuit of the close. We break down Al Pacino's magnetic turn as Ricky Roma, Jack Lemmon's tragic performance as Shelley "The Machine" Levene, and whether the film's stage-bound structure enhances or limits its incredible dialogue. Plus: our worst sales bosses, the invention of Mikethefab Syndrome, and Alec Baldwin launching an impromptu Car Talk.   Wikipedia page for Glengarry Glen Ross.   Films recommended this episode:   Margin Call Doubt   Follow Mike and Mike on Letterboxd @MikeBackAtYou and @mikethefab, email them at [email protected], check out their website ourherodeniro.com, and find them on social media at allmylinks.com/ourherodeniro.   Next week: Meet the Fockers

In this special episode of All Mike'd Up, the Mikes put together a beginner's guide to Our Hero De Niro for anyone wondering where the hell to start. We revisit the origins of the podcast, explain why we're watching De Niro's filmography in random order, and spotlight five regular episodes that show off different sides of the show—from The King of Comedy and Goodfellas to The War with Grandpa, What Just Happened, and Heat. Plus: favorite clips, serious film criticism colliding with dick-and-poop humor, and a wildcard return to the legendary Pizza Takes.   Follow Mike and Mike on Letterboxd @MikeBackAtYou and @mikethefab, email them at [email protected], check out their website ourherodeniro.com, and find them on social media at allmylinks.com/ourherodeniro.   Supplemental link: Blog post with episode links

This week, the Mikes dig into The King of Comedy, Martin Scorsese's darkly funny and deeply unsettling satire about fame, obsession, and the desperate need to be seen. We break down Robert De Niro's incredible performance as Rupert Pupkin, Jerry Lewis's underrated turn as a late-night television icon, and why a film that bombed in 1982 feels more relevant than ever in the age of influencers and viral celebrity. Plus: anti-comedy before anti-comedy existed, the fine line between ambition and delusion, and whether Rupert's big break is a triumph or a tragedy.   Wikipedia page for The King of Comedy.   Films recommended this episode:   Nightcrawler The Last Waltz   Follow Mike and Mike on Letterboxd @MikeBackAtYou and @mikethefab, email them at [email protected], check out their website ourherodeniro.com, and find them on social media at allmylinks.com/ourherodeniro.   Next week: 90th Episode Spectacular