The Godfather Part III (1990) Movie Review
Synopsis:
Don Michael Corleone (Al Pacino) attempts to legitimize his business dealings in New York and Italy. Michael also decides to take a young protégé, Vincent Mancini (Andy García), under his wing.
Review:
As with many final entries in a franchise, The Godfather Part III has ambition.
Despite this, it lacks the quality writing and screenplay of Francis Ford Coppola’s first two films.
Francis Ford Coppola’s visual style remains as distinctive and striking as ever.
Despite this, The Godfather Part III’s pacing and characterization needed improvement.
What should not be a surprise is Al Pacino’s portrayal of Michael Corleone.
As a whole, Pacino’s enthusiasm for the role has dwindled between Parts II and III. Despite this, he remains the film’s most captivating character.
As with any film entry, The Godfather Part III introduces new characters into the mix.
Among the most notable are Sofia Coppola as Michael’s daughter, Mary, and Andy García as Vincent Mancini.
These two characters develop a romantic connection with one another during the film. As a whole, it feels contrived.
Also, Sofia Coppola’s performance as Mary is by far the film’s weakest element.
Too often, Sofia’s line delivery is robotic and unnatural. This may have been due to the film’s script, her acting ability, or both.
Despite Sofia’s average performance, the actress’s good looks may be enough to compensate for any other negatives.
As expected, The Godfather Part III has many returning characters.
These include Connie Corleone (Talia Shire) and Kay Adams (Diane Keaton).
Each of these characters, despite being secondary, complements Michael’s journey throughout. They also provide above-average performances.
Returning to compose The Godfather Part III is Nino Rota. For context, he brings back many of his themes from the previous entries.
Although still not reaching the heights of his work for The Godfather (1972), Nino’s score complements the proceedings well.
Conclusion:
As a whole, The Godfather Part III lacks the quality screenplay of the first two entries. Its characters are also less well-realized.
Al Pacino’s performance as Don Michael Corleone remains the film’s strongest aspect.
Despite this, Sofia Coppola’s performance as Mary Corleone brings the film down.
Also, her romance with Andy García’s Vincent Mancini is not well portrayed or believable to the audience.
Diane Keaton’s Kay Adams and Talia Shire’s Connie Corleone both serve their purpose in complementing Michael’s journey to its conclusion.
Francis Ford Coppola’s visual style remains as distinctive as ever. As a result, the film provides many striking shots.
This is despite the film's weaker screenplay and characterization. Also, Nino Rota’s score complements these visuals well.
As a result, he provides his memorable compositions to entertain the audience. In conclusion, The Godfather III has many good elements.
These include Al Pacino’s performance, striking visuals, and an entertaining score.
Despite this, some may feel disappointed by the film’s weaker characterization.
For those who can accept its issues, this film should be a worthwhile conclusion for fans of this trilogy.
Sam’s Action Reaction score:
Characters - 7/10
Story - 6/10
Pacing - 6/10
Visuals - 8/10
Soundtrack - 7.5/10
Overall score: 6.9 out of 10