Review of Once Upon a Time in America (1984) by Brian S — 01 Nov 2009

Sits next to The Godfather and Goodfellas as one of the best gangster films of all time. fantastic narrative style with a strong, cohesive plot and deep, emotional characters that provoke both hate and pity.

brilliant score from Ennio Morricone as well. I thought some of the sexual content and related dialogue was perhaps a bit too graphic, but at least it advanced the plot wasn't included simply for its own sake.

I also didn't see why the characters' Judaism was a necessary plot element--it was never an issue, and they just as easily could have been Italian or Irish for as much as their religion and cultural heritage was addressed.

overall, though, this is a fantastic film that is well worth the staggering 4 hours.