Review of The Godfather Part III (1990) by Matthew D — 27 May 2018

The Godfather tragedy is completed in this final part.

Director Francis Ford Coppola may have only done this third and final part to The Godfather Trilogy for money, but he crafts a solid story with highly imaginative cinematography all the same. Many twists and turning points are telegraphed beforehand with another excellent script from famed writer Mario Puzo.

Notably, actor Al Pacino delivers a highly compelling performance as the aging Godfather figure Michael Corleone. He expresses remorse, rage, and ingenuity even in his advanced years. Pacino's gives you the calm and control focused Michael, while also emoting a sorrowful regret in his acting. It is certainly a respectable farewell to his iconic character Michael Corleone.

Furthermore, the supporting cast is fairly fun and filled with familiar faces. Talia Shire is sublime as Connie Corleone. She gets more screen time than the previous two films, and I appreciate it. Shire nails Connie's loyal and manipulative role. Eli Wallach plays a treacherous old Don with a clear glee that is infectious. Diane Keaton reprises her role as Kay with a sincere attitude of uncertainty as to her forgiveness of Michael's crimes. It is a decent cast with some other minor lackluster performances. However, Shire, Wallach, and Keaton will keep you engaged alongside Pacino.

Similarly, Andy Garcia gives an earnest shot as Sonny's son Vincent. Garcia is clever in his outing as he starts out portraying Vinny as an uncontrollable hothead. He then morphs into the more serious Vincent Corleone to take over as the new Godfather. It is too bad that his character is weighed down with an awkward incest subplot that is so distracting.

Herein lies the problem with The Godfather Part III: Sofia Coppola. She plays Michael's daughter Mary Corleone with a deadpan expression the entire time. Her line delivery is so flat and disinterested. Even with a solid script and competent direction, Sofia's acting is thoroughly underwhelming. Well I do not think she ruins the movie, she is obvious ill suited for the role.

On the other hand, Sofia is gorgeous and looks like she could be Pacino's daughter, but unfortunately she cannot act. The saving grace of Sofia's career as an actress being cut short is that we later get her brilliant films that she directs. Sofia Coppola is truly her father's daughter as she eventually goes on to mature into one of the finest directors in Hollywood. She actually directed some of my favorite films with The Virgin Suicides, Lost in Translation, Marie Antoinette, and The Beguiled.

At least Carmine Coppola's score is absolutely stunning. He manages to capture the enchanting atmosphere of the original two movies with his lovely compositions. The Italian music playing throughout The Godfather Part III is quite pretty and nicely fitted to the tone of each scene.

Another weakness is the pacing of the movie. Although The Godfather Part III is by far the shortest of the trilogy it feels the longest thanks to its slow pace. The edits linger too long on many shots, making you notice the film's imperfections all the more obvious.

In short, Franics Ford Coppola adequately completed his legendary crime trilogy with this satisfying, if flawed film. I found it a bit long, but well worth the wait. While the acting is a mixed bag, you are entertained by a majority of the cast. The music is so sweet and will keep you entranced all the way to the credits. The Godfather Part III is worth a watch to finish out this series.