Review of The Godfather (1972) by Brittany F — 31 Aug 2013

The Godfather is one of the most daunting films I've ever reviewed. Honestly there is nothing I can say that other critics haven't been saying for the past 41 years, however I will try to put into words how imperative that it is that everyone see this film.

Let's begin with the plot. The movie follows an aging patriarch of crime family who through a series of events must teach his youngest son how to run the business. If you've seen the film, you know this synopsis does not do it justice.

There are so many nuances within the story that make multiple viewing an absolute necessity. I've seen it three times now, and each time there is something new to notice. The pacing is also perfect and doesn't make the 3 hour plus runtime tedious at all.

This leads me to the direction. Coppola is a master behind the camera. The editing and shots are flawless. The scene at the end that takes place during a christening is one of the most suspense filled and perfect scenes, ever.

What also helps the film a great deal is the music. The score is one of those classic Italian sounding soundtracks. It helps immerse you into this world, and it also helps propel those emotional scenes to another level altogether.

Finally I want to wrap up with the acting. Marlon Brando gives the performance of his career as Don Vito Corleone. He is flawlessly able to portray both the tough business side and the quite, sad, family-oriented side of this character.

There is a reason this performance seems to be a go to whenever someone wants to impersonate a mob boss. Al Pacino is also excellent as Michael Corleone. Pacino, who was an unknown at this time, displays the confliction Michael feels with his father's business perfectly.

Another person who I think does an excellent job, but is often overlooked is Robert Duvall as Tom Hagen. He often has intimate scenes with Brando's Vito and he is able to hold his own next to this flawless presence, and that shouldn't be overlooked.

I know throughout this review I have used words like "perfect" and "flawless" at every turn, but there is honestly no other way to describe it. I would buy this movie a thousand times over and still remains one of my favorites of all time.

If you haven't watched it, put down whatever you're doing and put it in your Netflix queue or get it from your local video story because you will not regret it.