ONCE UPON A TIME IN AMERICA (1984) review.

Rating: 10/10 (26 April 2020)

Sergio Leone's ONCE UPON A TIME IN AMERICA is hands down one of, if not the greatest crime movie of all time. But how does one achieve the title of the greatest of its genre especially in the crime genre, which if filled with classics like The Godfather movies and GoodFellas?
ONCE UPON A TIME IN AMERICA is by far the most emotional crime movie I have ever seen and that is because of its extremely well-written story and complex characters. Noodles and Max particularly stand out not only because they are essentially the main characters of the film but because of how complex they are. We see their entire lives through this movie and how they go from kids trying to rule the streets to mafia men who are on top of the world and then old men who are but a shell of what they used to be. Their characters are the embodiment of what's amazing about this film, which is also boosted by the stellar performances from Robert De Niro and James Woods. And they are not the only great characters in this film. The character of Deborah is also amazing for how much she changes throughout the course of her life.
Another thing that makes this film as emotional as it is the score by Ennio Morricone. Without it this movie wouldn't be nearly as emotional and that's because of how well it conveys emotion. It's similar to what Howard Shore did with THE LORD OF THE RINGS where it builds the emotion through the music that is playing. And the main score for ONCE UPON A TIME IN AMERICA is particularly incredible because of what it represents. It is sad yet beautiful and it conveys a lot of themes of the film like progression of the American society and the reality of how everyone is getting old and their lives are slowly fading away that these characters have to face.
Another thing that amplifies the themes in this film is its cinematography. It has incredible scale and it not only looks incredible but it also shows how fast the civilization has advanced throughout the years and it also has absolutely stunning use of colour.
The pacing in this film is arguably the greatest out of any movie I have seen. It is a slow-burn yet it never once drags. It is genuinely amazing how this could be possible with such a runtime but yet here we are. Leone made every scene in this film feels relevant to the plot and given how long this film is this is an achievement in of itself.
There is just no crime film quite as powerful and deep as ONCE UPON A TIME IN AMERICA. There just really isn't. I would highly recommend this film to everyone that is a fan of the genre and slowly paced films. This film is not for everyone but if you can appreciate the film for what it is you will be able to witness the peak moment from the career of the father of westerns.