Review of The Godfather (1972) by Theraggedflygon — 27 Feb 2020

The Godfather is, without a doubt, one of the greatest films to have ever been made. The acting by all characters is superb. The plot is convoluted and twisting enough to keep you interested, but not until the point that it becomes too hard to follow. The cinematography and visual effects are equally impressive. While much of this movie is grounded in reality and thus the visual effects are usually pretty standard, there are a couple of shots that are absolutely amazing for the time.

Brando and Pacino's performances of this movie steal the show and both help make this film the masterpiece that it is. In addition, the screenplay is one of the best I have ever seen. Oftentimes, in these crime/mafia films, they tend to run on for too long and the viewer becomes bored. Despite being a three hour movie, not only was I glued to the edge of my seat each time, but each scene felt integral to the story and themes that the film is trying to tell. Further, it feels as if every single *action* taken by a character has an impact on either a theme or the outcome of the movie. This level of screenplay has not been matched by another film that I have seen.

In addition the cinematography of this film has resulted in several of the most iconic scenes in all of cinema being brought to the big screen. The number of quotes, iconic scenes, jokes, and memes that came from this film is absolutely amazing.

Whether it is the greatest movie of all time or not, The Godfather is a must see film that has had one of the greatest impacts on modern society and popular culture out of all the films that have ever been made. This is a must see for anyone who enjoys cinema.