Once Upon A Time in your life

Rating: 10/10 (6 November 2017)

Bravo! Everyone connected with this movie should take a long well-deserved bow. Most excellent entertainment across the board bar none. All my favorite actors are at their peak plus the supporting players came through as well. If that is not enough, treat yourself to one of the best scores you will ever hear too. The music when applied to certain scenes just tugs and pulls on you until you give in and you are glad that you did too. There are different versions out there to experience. I found the blue-ray 251 minute version which Leone had a hand in and it made good sense. I have seen the other versions and I couldn't quite figure out what was going on even after I was captivated. Imagine that if it held you when chopped up it will spellbind you when complete. It does! Let us not forget that the story itself of gangsters, murders, robberies prostitution etc. can never be glorified and encouraged as a way of life in real life. Quite the opposite. It is a life misspent even it is exciting and dangerous to live in a perverted way. It reminds me of The Godfather movie where we fall in love with Don Corleone but lets be clear he was a bad man. What comes through here in this movie is the magic of growing up, having friends, doing things together, first loves and adventures. What hurts is seeing all those things fail or not complete themselves. This movie gives you both and then some. You have to stop and think about what Tuco said in the Good, Bad & Ugly to his brother. In this town, in order to survive, one becomes a priest or a bandit. Same with this movie only minus the priest part. These kids growing up on the streets have nothing worthwhile to look forward to accept trouble that brings excitement or jail. In between they hope for money, food, a better life and that it gets easier not harder. Street life is like that. You get to glimpse very well this no where type of existence courtesy of expert directing here. It would take someone who knew about this type of growing up to present correctly and more importantly with deep feeling and genuineness. This movies delivers that and more. Haunting, reflective, deep, pain, sorrow and mystery rolled up altogether using peoples lives to make the points. That's why the viewer can relate so well. It could have been and in many cases was...your life too. Recommend a meal while watching with a tasty drink and a decent snack. Make sure you have enough for three plus hours. I have seen this at least three times. I am not through either.....