The biographical film follows Frank Sheeran, a truck driver who becomes a hitman involved with mobster Russell Bufalino (Pesci) and his crime family before later working for Jimmy Hoffa (Pacino), a powerful Teamster. The film marked the ninth collaboration between Scorsese and De Niro, in addition to Scorsese's sixth collaboration with Harvey Keitel; his fourth collaboration with Joe Pesci; his first with Al Pacino; the fourth collaboration between Pacino and De Niro; and the first collaboration between Pacino and Pesci altogether.