Read Mixed User Reviews for The Godfather

6

clem666Jan 18, 2021

It was about time I finally took an interest in this famous masterpiece of 1970s cinema. Before I saw it, I had heard a lot about it and I had read quite a lot about it. So I somehow managed to set aside 3 hours of free time in order to focusIt was about time I finally took an interest in this famous masterpiece of 1970s cinema. Before I saw it, I had heard a lot about it and I had read quite a lot about it. So I somehow managed to set aside 3 hours of free time in order to focus my attention completely on this feature film.

The colors, sequencing and the lighting are beautiful throughout the film. The immersion in the heart of a powerful Italian-American family is complete, especially thanks to the scenes of festivals and traditions directly imported from Southern Europe. The main characters are endearing. The script, although we know from the first thirty minutes the tone and subject matter that the film will have, is quite unpredictable in its own way. We can feel the drama that hovers over the Corleone family and its survival all the time. There is no doubt that the movie and its genesis are entirely rooted in a factual observation and study of events related to the Mafia.

The violence is totally rich in meaning. It is not used and shown as one would expect when watching a film about the mafia. It is cleverly diffracted in accordance with the characters, their individual personalities and purposes. It is only excessive when events require it to be so.

Unfortunately, however, I have recognized some important and numerous flaws in the film, starting with its length. As I said, the atmosphere is heavy throughout the entire length, one is constantly preparing in vain for the unpredictable, but nothing covers the general rhythm of the plot, which does not hesitate to let long uninteresting scenes of everyday life run their course.

The acting is interesting, especially in the case of Al Pacino. I found Marlon Brando (in the role of Vito Corleone) rather flat, almost inexpressive from beginning to end except for a few intense scenes. I find that one of the major flaws of the film is to be found in Marlon Brando's (in my opinion) completely failed facial makeup. Until the end I couldn't accept his two cheeks with their strange shapes and preventing him from articulating properly. All he does is mumbling again and again. I think this is an excellent example of a makeup that takes precedence over the actor's abilities, and that's a shame, especially for a movie with such a critical acclaim.

With the information I had before I saw the film, I did not expect that the woman as a whole would play an important role in the story. Nevertheless, I was excessively disappointed by the feminine images that the film returns to us. They are only there to brighten men's days, complaining, whining, cooking, educating kids, breaking dishes and crying (I am not making this up, all those descriptions directly come from different scenes of the movie). I made every effort to try to capture the slightest clue in the film that any lady is smart, but there was nothing I could do about it. Stupid traditional patriarchal society at its best.

The script allows us to take a deep interest in various characters evolving in parallel. I thought it was a brilliant idea, but eventually you get lost very quickly in the first names, nicknames and surnames of the hundreds of protagonists present at the casting. All of this gives a nasty impression of superfluity and superficiality to the story that we try to tell us for three hours.

Except for these most intense moments, the film is excessively poor in terms of emotions. Everything seems to happen as if everything had been planned down to the most outrageous dramas. The film seems to be much more interested in the machinations of the mafia than in the real human adventures that crime engenders. From this point of view, the mafia seems like a simple banal organization, except that it takes place in the most total illegality, giving a different meaning to each individual's life. It would have been much more interesting to have given more detail to the characters and especially their relationship to each other and to the authority of the godfather. Here everything seems to take place in an ocean of convenience that takes away all its intensity from the film.

I did my best to take into consideration the time of release of this film to try to analyze it with arguments as close to objectivity as possible. I can totally understand that at the time this film received so many positive reviews. Unfortunately, watching it in 2020 only underlines the fact that other more recent films manage to give a content similar in depth to 'The Godfather' but sparing us all the negative hazards that I have just explained above.… Expand

3 of 4 users found this helpful31

All this user's reviews

6

robertoiglesiasOct 31, 2017

The Godfather (1972) is technically a well made film. However, because of its overlong runtime, its barebones plot that is basically just a compilation of the Mafia doing things, and pointless scenes, I just can't like it that much.
It's wellThe Godfather (1972) is technically a well made film. However, because of its overlong runtime, its barebones plot that is basically just a compilation of the Mafia doing things, and pointless scenes, I just can't like it that much.
It's well shot, it's well acted, but it's not that great in my opinion.… Expand

5 of 8 users found this helpful53

All this user's reviews

4

mailordermonstrAug 4, 2012

You know how when a friend is telling you a personal anecdote that he thinks is hilarious, but you don't find very funny, he'll say "you had to have been there." That's kind of how I feel about The Godfather. By the time I watched this movieYou know how when a friend is telling you a personal anecdote that he thinks is hilarious, but you don't find very funny, he'll say "you had to have been there." That's kind of how I feel about The Godfather. By the time I watched this movie I'd seen so many impersonations of Don Corleone and parodies that it all felt almost comical. Putting all that aside (if that's even possible), I still didn't enjoy this movie. I found myself checking how much more I had to sit through multiple times. And having seen what Al Pacino is capable of, he seems very wooden in this. My conclusion is that if you managed to see this movie before pop culture appropriated it and fed you their versions, then you'll likely love it. If like me you weren't around in the 70's, you might not get that much from it. In other words, you had to have been there.… Expand

5 of 10 users found this helpful55

All this user's reviews

6

HorrorseekerAug 28, 2019

One of the best films I've ever seen and it's masterpiece story telling from beginning to end and by the end you realize this is what real filmmaking is all about the films direction property built the film does have a rather slow pace butOne of the best films I've ever seen and it's masterpiece story telling from beginning to end and by the end you realize this is what real filmmaking is all about the films direction property built the film does have a rather slow pace but overall a excellent movie… Expand

1 of 3 users found this helpful12

All this user's reviews

5

AlbertosaurioJan 15, 2020

Trama l e historia lenta, una película que la fama y cantidad de referencias, genera mas espectativa de lo que realmente es, una película que esta bien para su época, destacando entre peliculas románticas y Western antiguo, pero no mucho enTrama l e historia lenta, una película que la fama y cantidad de referencias, genera mas espectativa de lo que realmente es, una película que esta bien para su época, destacando entre peliculas románticas y Western antiguo, pero no mucho en la actualidad… Expand

1 of 3 users found this helpful12

All this user's reviews

5

OliverC.Jan 23, 2007

It's pretty boring, all the characters are unlikable. It's hard to relate to a movie when all you want is for the main characters to stop doing things.

6 of 21 users found this helpful

5

PodreySanchezAug 20, 2012

I watched it. Didn't like it. I found myself bored 30 minutes into the party scene at the start of the movie. Not as good as i thought it would be. I had a better time watching Goodfellas, The Departed, Scarface, Once Upon A Time In America.I watched it. Didn't like it. I found myself bored 30 minutes into the party scene at the start of the movie. Not as good as i thought it would be. I had a better time watching Goodfellas, The Departed, Scarface, Once Upon A Time In America. there good gangster movies. I just don't get why people love it so much.… Expand

4 of 15 users found this helpful411

All this user's reviews

4

Brian_McInnisMar 27, 2012

I've never before been bored by a slow-moving film. Ever so much more weight is put on the horse-head scene than it supports. A husband-wife fight is phoney, weak, amateur and isn't even peanuts compared to any such scene by Scorsese. AI've never before been bored by a slow-moving film. Ever so much more weight is put on the horse-head scene than it supports. A husband-wife fight is phoney, weak, amateur and isn't even peanuts compared to any such scene by Scorsese. A curly-haired guy beats a guy up and it looks as fake as the fakest action I've ever seen; it was so bad it was hysterical. As in the faintly superior sequel, Robert Duvall's role consists almost entirely of standing around looking mildly concerned. Early scenes with Brando are effective enough, but not a whole lot else is. That curly-haired guy gets shot by a whole buncha guys later on and some friends asked me if I understood how and why the ambush happened as though I could possibly care why it happened or who he was. I heard one person complain that the film 'insists on itself', but it seemed to me more like it didn't even care it existed. At the moment, this movie has nearly five hundred and fifty thousand votes on I.M.D.B., but 'Goodfellas' has only three hundred and twenty-five thousand and 'Casino' barely over a hundred and fifty thousand. Sad. But Francis Ford went on to make an infinitely better film only seven years later, and his daughter an unutterably better one three decades later, and so the Family thrives.… Expand

3 of 12 users found this helpful39

All this user's reviews

5

HagueJul 7, 2018

The Movie of "The Godfather" delivers a very cliche and overall sadistic message to all those who decide to watch it. Either way, I recommend this film for people looking for a good, and unusual, drama film.

1 of 4 users found this helpful13

All this user's reviews

6

x_superepicoJul 31, 2020

good, but overrated, is boring, simple and weak, is good, but doesn't attract you.

1 of 4 users found this helpful13

All this user's reviews

5

RyanM.Jan 9, 2009

Good movie, but a bit over-rated. I do not think it deserves a 100 score.

7 of 29 users found this helpful

6

PabloR.Jun 28, 2008

Over rated!! WOW. Was that booooooring... Only reason it has a decent score is because i guess it was one of those boring movies that you don't like but since everyone thinks they're good.. "Its good." But it's not really good.

2 of 9 users found this helpful

5

JoshCApr 8, 2007

This movie isn't what i expected, I couldn't sit and watch it for 3 hours, true the acting was good but its 3 hours of boredom if you ask me.

3 of 14 users found this helpful

4

PhilipBAug 26, 2009

The first part is ok, but kept falling asleep for the rest of it, and never even made it to part three. One of the most boring movies I've ever tried to sit through.

3 of 14 users found this helpful

5

PatRDec 30, 2009

It's funny. I just read Zach B's comment. And guess what buddy? I was born in 1994. So take that. Anyway, I thought this movie was okay. I'm sure it was good at the time, but should it really be considered the greatest film of It's funny. I just read Zach B's comment. And guess what buddy? I was born in 1994. So take that. Anyway, I thought this movie was okay. I'm sure it was good at the time, but should it really be considered the greatest film of all time? Films like Die Hard were good at the time, and are STILL good today, and yet no one considers THAT the greatest movie of all time. Godfather, in general, seems very tame compared to many modern films such as Changeling. I can understand why adults think it's the greatest film of all time, but it just isn't my cup of tea. I never did like classic films unless they have something good in them other then the fact that they're classic.… Expand

3 of 15 users found this helpful

4

AndrewK.Jul 20, 2006

This is the movie that everybody argues is better than Scarface? Scarface blows this dumbass movie to hell. This is a true borefest.

2 of 10 users found this helpful

5

solomsApr 17, 2015

I don't know what people see in this movie because it's so boring and non-sense. I don't even saw the 2nd and 3rd movie because this is really anoying.

1 of 5 users found this helpful14

All this user's reviews

4

mason4tadoAug 13, 2011

Great script writing can't make up for it's boring storyline and slow pacing.

4 of 21 users found this helpful417

All this user's reviews

4

ShawnM.Nov 23, 2006

Mumbling Brando is what he should be called. I just didn't see what the big deal was about. I like period movies, dramas, etc., so I thought I would love this film. It left me completely unmoved. Which made it even more confusing - why Mumbling Brando is what he should be called. I just didn't see what the big deal was about. I like period movies, dramas, etc., so I thought I would love this film. It left me completely unmoved. Which made it even more confusing - why the raving critical praise? So I rated it below grade because I felt my time was robbed from me. I've seen better crime films and dramas.… Expand

1 of 6 users found this helpful

5

BobNJul 29, 2009

Godfather is NOT the best film ever made (waiting for the plague.) Highly over praised. It is exactly like Apocolypse Now- has moments of greatness- but holy crap is it boring. Brando is commical. Pacino is Pacino starring as Pacino in the Godfather is NOT the best film ever made (waiting for the plague.) Highly over praised. It is exactly like Apocolypse Now- has moments of greatness- but holy crap is it boring. Brando is commical. Pacino is Pacino starring as Pacino in the role of Pacino. I think people love this film soley due to the title: Godfather. Imgaine if the film was called: Second Cousin, or Younger Sister. Nope, had to go with God. Anyways, yeah, this movie...it's an overbloated corpse floating in an L.A. drain pipe...interesting to look at but not for too long.… Expand

1 of 6 users found this helpful

6

KentC.Jan 13, 2008

Not for everyone. It certainly doesn't deserve a 0, but it wasn't one of my favorite movies of all time. You really have to be interested in the genre. I tried watching it for the full 3 hours, but couldn't. I found it pretty Not for everyone. It certainly doesn't deserve a 0, but it wasn't one of my favorite movies of all time. You really have to be interested in the genre. I tried watching it for the full 3 hours, but couldn't. I found it pretty boring, despite fantastic acting. People will probably assume that I like bloody, mindless action movies, which isn't true. I love classic films, but found this to be a bit tedious. Watching it in segments helps, but make sure that you don't do anything else that will distract you from the movie (reading a magazine, talking on the phone, etc) as you really need to be paying attention for 100% of the movie to fully understand it.… Expand

0 of 1 users found this helpful

6

DemonicAngelJan 22, 2006

I wanted to like this movie, I really did, but after two hours of watching unmoved and unengaged, I switched off the TV. A masterpiece it may be, but I didn't find it particularly entertaining.

0 of 1 users found this helpful

6

lotrmonkeyOct 27, 2021

By the end of watching this I began to lose interest as its far too long. Personally wouldn't say this is a must watch but has some interesting moments. It's possible that this one just isn't for me.

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

All this user's reviews

4

zcat5Jun 26, 2023

The Godfather, hailed by many as a masterpiece and even the "greatest film ever made", serves as a glaring exemplification of the broad chasm between popular perception and the harsh realities of cinematic mediocrity. Oversaturated withThe Godfather, hailed by many as a masterpiece and even the "greatest film ever made", serves as a glaring exemplification of the broad chasm between popular perception and the harsh realities of cinematic mediocrity. Oversaturated with lengthy, dialogue-ridden sequences and an excess of poorly executed symbolism, Francis Ford Coppola's alleged magnum opus falls tragically short of its revered status.

From the very first frames, the Godfather immerses the viewer in a relentless drudgery that will numb even the most patient film connoisseur. Instead of engaging audiences with brisk storytelling and gripping action, Coppola elects to drag us through a languorous three-hour mafia epic. You may find yourself regularly checking your watch, wondering when the end credits will arrive.

The characters, hailed by many as intricate and well-developed, are instead an ensemble of monotonous archetypes, masquerading as complex individuals. Marlon Brando’s Vito Corleone, while celebrated for his mumbling and inaudible diction, offers little more than a tired caricature of a mob boss, while Al Pacino’s Michael Corleone lacks a compelling arc, transforming from a moral outsider to a cold-hearted don in the blink of an eye, leaving little room for nuance or relatability.

Coppola's direction is equally as lackluster. His use of low-lighting scenes, supposedly to add depth and mystery, merely blurs detail and confuses the viewer. What critics mistake for "stylistic choices," come across as glaring technical ineptitude. The acclaimed Godfather Waltz, a repetitive, mournful piece of orchestral music, only adds to the already heavy-handed tone, doing little to alleviate the film's overall tedium.

The Godfather’s narrative, loosely strung together by a series of underwhelming mob hits and family squabbles, often wanders into the realm of pointlessness. Instead of serving as a poignant critique of the American dream, it drowns in its own grandeur, ultimately amounting to little more than a caricature of the very thing it sought to depict.

In the end, The Godfather feels more like a long-winded bore, a film that not only overpromises and underdelivers, but audaciously demands respect and reverence for its contribution to cinema. It’s a languid, overly-indulgent piece that relies on the audience's patience and tolerance for dull, drawn-out sequences. Despite its universal acclaim, The Godfather stands as a testament to how the sheen of nostalgia and the weight of collective opinion can crown a painfully average film as the pinnacle of cinematic excellence. It is a troublingly clear example of just how misguided the concept of the 'popular masterpiece' can be.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

All this user's reviews