Review of The Godfather (1972) by Daniel R — 27 Dec 2015

Rating: 10/10.

Sometimes you just have to be in the right mindset to appreciate something. The first time I tried watching The Godfather, it was a commercially interrupted television broadcast and I only sat through about a third of the film (which is three hours without commercials so you can imagine how long it'd be with them). That was obviously the wrong way to watch it. The second time I was just not in the right mood to appreciate it. I watched it all the way through, but with little mind to actually pay attention to the story as a whole. I found myself bored with it and ready to write it off as an overrated movie, undeserving of its status. However, I have always been a firm believer that with almost any film, particularly if it is considered great, it is irresponsible to not watch the movie at least twice and to give it your full attention. I finally did so, and I can admit that my initial full viewing experience was rather poor on my part.

The Godfather is fully deserving of the status it enjoys. Do I personally consider it the greatest film of all time? Perhaps not, but I can no longer begrudge any who deem it so. It is a masterpiece of the highest order. A brushstroke on the canvas of American cinema, and without that stroke the portrait would be almost entirely different. Simply put, it is every bit as great as anyone has ever said that it was or is.