MovieChat Forums > The Irishman (2019) Discussion > The fish in the back seat?

The fish in the back seat?

posted 5 years ago by brux (14778)
2 replies | jump to latest

This scene had me a bit confused. First, why was Hoffa's son driving him to a place he is going to be murdered?

Second, what was the point of the whole fish in the backseat thing?

I know Sheeran was considering if he was going to be garroted while they were driving like the other guy who their passenger killed earlier in the movie.

BUT, was the purpose of putting the fish in the backseat, or the fish juice, so that Sheeran would decide on his own to sit up front so it would be easier for the guy behind to kill him.

The question is, what is all this going on with Hoffa's son right there?

[–] Bazzz (59) 5 years ago

Hoffa's son wasn't aware of the plan to kill his dad - they briefly referred to him as a useful idiot or something similar in the film.
They needed people Hoffa trusted in the car tio convince him to get in. They always intended to kill Hoffa in the house - this is why there was a brief shot of the guy putting down temporary flooring (similar to putting plastic down on a rug).
Hoffa's son had gone to pick up a fish - it really has no significance to the story (perhaps an allegory about Hoffa going to "sleep with the fishes" or about to be treated like a dead fish).

[–] Sandman81 (1510) 5 years ago

https://heavy.com/entertainment/2019/11/chuckie-obrien-fish/

To answer both your questions, because they both really happened (according to Sheeran).

Chucky O'Brien was actually Hoffa's foster son, and had a very close relationship to Tony Giacalone, whom Hoffa was on his way to meet. He was investigated by the FBI and when they asked him why he got his car cleaned that day, he told them about the fish leaking on the back seat. Also worth noting, he was driving Giacalone's car, and claimed his step father was never in it, even though they found Hoffa's hair in the car years later.

If we're believing that he didn't know it was hit, then the reason they would have him drive was because they knew Hoffa wouldn't get in a car unless it was with people he trusted, which is why his step son drove, and Sheeran came in with him.