A Triumph of Epic Proportion

Rating: 10/10 (21 July 2015)

With a run time of 3 hours and 49 minutes this film certainly is epic, and it needs to be as Sergio Leone depicts the entire life of a New York gangster in what is his greatest triumph.
There is a worry with making a film this long, it can become bloated and may even seem quite pretentious. Leone pulls it off perfectly however. I watched the film in one sitting, which I strongly recommend to first time viewers, and not at any point did I lose interest. The long run time allowed Leone to really flesh out the story and the characters to an incredible level of detail. This allows audiences to become involved in the narrative and so attention is kept entirely on the film as the tale develops. Sergio Leone's direction is sublime which also aids in captivating the audience. He created a film that is visually stunning by filming in locations throughout New York city, and despite the movie not being in chronological order it still flows seamlessly.
Many films suffer from having underdeveloped characters but with Once Upon a Time in America this is an impossibility as we nearly witness the protagonist's entire life and so the audience can really get to know and understand the character. It is excellent to see him progress from a boy filled with energy and ambition to an old man who is heavy with remorse and is haunted by ghosts of his past.
Once Upon a Time in America is one of the greatest pieces of cinema ever created. It is often forgotten when one thinks of the best gangster movies but it has one of the most compelling and perfect stories ever put to screen and the brilliant script is performed effortlessly by such actors as Robert De Niro, James Woods, Joe Pesci and a young Jennifer Connelly. It is stylish and sleek and will leave a lasting impression on you.