An all encompassing, thought provoking, emotional roller coaster of a film

Rating: 10/10 (16 May 1999)

(The Directors cut) A truly magnificent film. It spans everything - humour, adventure, violence, love, sex, and sadness. Also brilliant is the haunting Morricone soundtrack.
I love The Godfather but that is much more a mass market film than this. You don't fully appreciate this film on the first viewing though I found it totally riveting myself.
But this is not a black and white - good and evil simplistic film. I empathised with Noodles and for some good reason. But he is also a bad character, his life long love of Deborah turning sour in the rape scene. Its like life - shades of grey.
In the end despite all its range of emotions the lasting one is sadness.