The Godfather has a fantastic plot, with plenty of interest, twists and turns. It is the story of a man sinking to problematic events in order to retain some appearance of his humanity while trying to protect the one thing that he values most in the world, his family. It is also the story of a man unwilling to join the family business until he is left with no choice. The Godfather is an incredible character study into one man's eventual path to self destruction. For Michael, there is no going back. Its almost tragic as Michael's life could've gone a very different way. The film tells its story brilliantly and makes use of its three hour runtime in the most efficient way possible. Every character is given room to breathe and the world in which the Corleone family inhabit is defined brilliantly. It’s a captivating mix of crime epic, in-depth character study and family drama.

The performances are another part of what makes the film so great as some of the greatest actors of all time appear on screen together in this film. Pacino is brilliant as the conflicting Michael with his moody intensity turned towards representing one of the most important characters in cinema history. Brando is iconic as the Godfather as just his appearance is enough to sell us on the idea that he is a fading but highly respected and feared figure in the world of crime. His soft, sharp voice and many unusual decisions he makes in his portrayal of the character establish probably the most well known character of all-time. In the supporting cast we get Duvall, Caan, Keaton and Talia Shire who all manage to be gripping even as they only get small amounts of screen time. Coppola really lets them shine even if only for a few minutes and it’s no surprise that these actors would go on to be fantastic in other films as well. One of the greatest things the films is accomplishing is how well the characters are drawn as we get so many interesting relationship dynamics explored and so many characters with rich backstories. Everyone from Tom Hagen, Robert Duvall, to Sonny Corleone, James Caan, got a moment to express some deeper emotion that hints at something from their past and that was what kept me wondering. Obviously the most fascinating relationship is that between Michael and Vito as we see that the son who had been forced to commit to the lifestyle that Vito is locked in to, still be his father’s favorite even as his other sons are more committed. There was so much that Coppola was able to carry in such a short amount of time and in between all of the violence and the releases of tension we are fascinated simply by looks and tense exchanges of dialogue.

Overall, The Godfather is a perfect film. It is a phenomenal achievement in history of film. Every element is working to the maximum in order to achieve perfection. The storytelling is detailed and incredibly rich on both themes and characters. The performances from the cast are excellent, with some delivering career bests. The direction from Coppola is fantastic and ensures that The Godfather is a total technical achievement. It’s is a film that has gained the respect of cinephiles for a reason. It is a brilliant film from start to finish and one that is most deserving of the word "classic". An easier way to express my feelings - it’s a masterpiece.

89/100