Strange, sad movie about friendship, aging, love and betrayal

Rating: 6/10 (25 May 2007)

This movie has a haunting quality that makes it literally unforgettable. I've seen it twice now; once several years ago on television in a heavily edited version, and recently in the full director's cut, nearly four hour version.
It's a flawed, difficult movie, that's often hard to follow, but it will reward the viewer's patience eventually with a compelling, perhaps even tragic story. It's not quite like any other movie I can recall; certainly not a conventional gangster movie. There's something terribly poignant about seeing Robert DeNiro as the aging gangster who has returned after years in exile to find out what happened to his childhood friends. His performance is beautifully complemented by Ennio Morricone's lovely score. The child actors are very convincing in their roles and the sense of various periods and changing times is well captured by the art direction and cinematography. It is an unusual kind of role for James Woods, whose character remains an enigma to the end.
It's true that this movie is not for everyone, but those viewers with the patience to stay with it will find it a fascinating experience that lingers long after the end of the film.