Our Hero De Niro – Details, episodes & analysis

In this episode of Our Hero De Niro, Mike and Mike suffer through The Bag Man, a forgotten neo-noir trainwreck starring John Cusack as a sad hitman and Robert De Niro as a villain with puffy hair. In a listener-inspired experiment, the hosts swap roles—one going full smooth-brain, the other overanalyzing a movie that gives them nothing to work with. Along the way: Blade connections, bad ADR, and the worst motel staff in cinema history.   Wikipedia page for The Bag Man.   Films recommended this episode:

• Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call - New Orleans
• Drive

Follow Mike and Mike on Letterboxd @mikebackatyou and @mikethefab and email them at ourherodeniro@gmail.com.   Next week: The Fan

In this episode of Our Hero De Niro, Mike and Mike reluctantly hunt down Killing Season—a grim, bafflingly dull two-hander starring Robert De Niro and John Travolta as war-scarred men locked in a nonsensical game of vengeance. They dissect the film’s hideous color grading, inconsistent geography, and the worst De Niro performance in the podcast so far. Along the way: Jägermeister shots, nature stock footage, and a special challenge for the hosts.   Wikipedia page for Killing Season.   Films recommended this episode:

• First Blood
• A History of Violence

Follow Mike and Mike on Letterboxd @mikebackatyou and @mikethefab and email them at ourherodeniro@gmail.com.   Next week: The Bag Man

We dive into The Alto Knights, where Robert De Niro pulls double duty as feuding mobsters Frank Costello and Vito Genovese. From clunky narration to chaotic editing, we unpack this curious late-career entry and reflect on dual De Niros and the modern theatergoing experience.   Wikipedia page for The Alto Knights.   Film recommended this episode:

• Hell or High Water
• Zodiac

Follow Mike and Mike on Letterboxd @mikebackatyou and @mikethefab and email them at ourherodeniro@gmail.com.

Next week: Meet The Parents

This week, we tackle Godsend, a psychological horror-thriller that somehow manages to be neither. Starring Greg Kinnear, Rebecca Romijn, and Robert De Niro as a shady fertility doctor, the film follows a grieving couple who clone their dead son—only to discover something is deeply wrong with their 'miracle' child. We break down the absurd twists, baffling logic, and failed attempts at horror in this early-2000s misfire.

Wikipedia page for Godsend.
 
Films recommended this episode:

• The Pope’s Exorcist
• Hereditary

Follow Mike and Mike on Letterboxd @mikebackatyou and @mikethefab and email them at ourherodeniro@gmail.com.

Next week: The Alto Knights

In this episode of Our Hero De Niro, we dive into James Mangold’s 1997 crime drama Cop Land, a film that’s more of a Sylvester Stallone showcase than a Robert De Niro vehicle. We break down the movie’s tight storytelling, its stacked cast of ‘90s heavyweights, and its neo-Western themes, while also discussing Stallone’s surprising performance as a quiet, overlooked sheriff in a town full of corrupt cops. We analyze the film’s commentary on police corruption, its use of violence, and whether its brisk runtime does justice to the story.   Wikipedia page for Cop Land.   Films recommended this episode:

• Demolition Man
• Creed

Follow Mike and Mike on Letterboxd @mikebackatyou and @mikethefab and email them at ourherodeniro@gmail.com.

Next week: Godsend

In the conclusion of our Zero Day coverage, we unpack the show's wild pivots, last-minute conspiracies, and whether it sticks the landing (spoiler: it doesn’t). We dive into how the series squanders its premise with muddled messaging and half-baked political intrigue. We also break down the show's frustrating reluctance to take a stance, its unceremonious character exits, and whether all the buildup leads to anything meaningful in the end.   Wikipedia page for Zero Day.   Films recommended this episode:

• Blackhat
• Civil War

Follow Mike and Mike on Letterboxd @mikebackatyou and @mikethefab and email them at ourherodeniro@gmail.com.

Next week: Cop Land

In this episode, we break from our usual format to discuss the first half of Zero Day, Netflix’s new limited series starring Robert De Niro. We dive into the show’s slow pacing, political themes, and De Niro’s performance as a former U.S. president navigating cyberterrorism, domestic threats, and his own unraveling mind. Along the way, we examine the series’ muddled messaging and whether its six-hour runtime is justified.   Wikipedia page for Zero Day.   TV shows recommended this episode:

• Mindhunter
• The Diplomat

Follow Mike and Mike on Letterboxd @mikebackatyou and @mikethefab and email them at ourherodeniro@gmail.com.

Next week: Zero Day - Part 2

In the longest episode of Our Hero De Niro yet, the Mikes take on Dirty Grandpa, a raunchy road trip comedy starring Robert De Niro and Zac Efron. They break down the film’s relentless shock humor, bizarre character choices, and surprising box office success despite critical panning. Tracking every laugh (or lack thereof), they debate whether the movie works as a comedy, discuss De Niro’s commitment to the role, and question the logic—or absence of it—behind the film’s wildest moments.

Wikipedia page for Dirty Grandpa.

Films recommended this episode:

• Freddy Got Fingered
• Grandma's Boy

Follow Mike and Mike on Letterboxd @mikebackatyou and @mikethefab and email them at ourherodeniro@gmail.com.

Next week: Zero Day (Part 1)

In the film 15 Minutes, Robert De Niro portrays a media-savvy detective who is on the hunt for fame-hungry criminals who turn murder into entertainment. While the film aims to critique sensationalism, it unintentionally touches on issues related to immigration—though this isn’t always deliberate. Balancing exaggerated satire and a stylized early 2000s buddy cop thriller, we explore whether 15 Minutes offers meaningful commentary on media and justice or simply exploits the culture it seeks to criticize.

Wikipedia page for 15 Minutes.

Films recommended this episode:

• Spy Game
• Blow

Follow Mike and Mike on Letterboxd @mikebackatyou and @mikethefab and email them at ourherodeniro@gmail.com.

Next week: Dirty Grandpa

For the first time on Our Hero De Niro, we have a special guest—Mike’s cousin Ashley! She helps us make sense of the 2022 "thriller" Savage Salvation. Does this film offer any commentary on America's opioid epidemic, or is it just a tax write-off? How does Robert De Niro look with a mustache? And who is director Randall Emmett, anyway? Join us as the three of us try to unravel it all while attempting to salvage what's our sanity.

Wikipedia page for Savage Salvation.

Films recommended this episode:

• L.A. Confidential
• Emily the Criminal
• Rebel Ridge
• Walking Tall

Follow Mike and Mike on Letterboxd @mikebackatyou and @mikethefab and email them at ourherodeniro@gmail.com.

Next week: 15 Minutes

Supplemental links:

• Granny (Looney Tunes)
• Vulture Article on Geezer Teasers