Gandolfini in Remember When

On a rewatch, it’s really striking how Gandolfini approaches his performance in the 6B episode Remember When. Despite all of the horrible things Tony does, says, or contemplates doing, what’s striking is how tired he is.

From the start when he is musing over his tomatoes coming in, to when he can’t even celebrate getting off the hook on Willie Overall. Also, the way he reacts to Paulie bringing up the past, highlighting how his dad put him on this path of murder and criminality.

“You made your bones with that prick huh?” “Yeah…” A single word response, but so much weight to its delivery.

It feels like he’s very aware of the deep pit he’s dug for himself, and subconsciously he just wants all of it to be over. It makes you empathize with him (in my opinion). David Chase himself has mentioned that he sees Tony at the end as someone who tried and tried, but just couldn’t make real progress. Gandolfini is really amazing here; haunting.

This analysis could be applied to 6B as a whole I’m sure, but I feel like it comes across most sharply in this episode. One of my favorites.

Anyway, $4 a pound, don’t break my balls