One of the few films to boast a near 4 hour running time, yet not to feel a moment of it...

Rating: 10/10 (3 January 2006)

This film is an amazing cinematic experience. Sergio Leones final film is in my opinion, also his best. The story is so deep, and so rich. The themes, love, friendship, betrayal, morality, memory, life, etc... are so poignant and universal that it is hard not to relate to the characters and situations in this film at least in some way. All the performances are exceptional, James Woods being the highlight in my opinion. I have watched this film three times now, and I plan on re-visiting it even more in the future, as I now own the DVD. To describe this film it is hard to know where to start, as the story is told almost completely out of chronological order; it is a film which literally requires you to watch it more than once. Basically, it is a film about the life of a man, played by Robert De Niro, from his boyhood, right through to his old age, and about the friends and enemies he makes, and all the major issues he encounters. But more specifically, it is about his relationship with one main friend, the adult part of whom is played by James Woods. I can't think what else to say but to recommend this powerful tale to you as strongly as possible, and to wish you several equally enthralling viewings of it!