Way overrated, perhaps one of the most overrated films of all time

Rating: 9/10 (13 October 2012)

I gave it a 1/10 score because of the huge degree in which this film is overrated. My actual score for this film would be 9/10: excellent but not a masterpiece.
It is a very good family melodrama, with very well constructed characters and excellent acting, however, I cannot say I loved this film. It is very good, but nothing really special: It is one of my top 100 favorite films, but not top 50. Why? The main flaw of this film is that it lacks visual art: the truly great films work as pieces of audiovisual art, such as 2001: A Space Odyssey or Coppola's own Apocalypse Now. This film, by contrast, doesn't offer anything besides plot and characters. It is not artistically complete as it doesn't take full advantage of the medium of film.
One problem with this type of film, that is, films restricted by plot, is that by being a film about a family and their petty criminal organization severely restricts the scope and greatness of the film. If, instead, the film was done in a post-apocalyptic setting, where Marlon Brando would be the ruthless leader of a small village in the vast wastelands, and Michael his heir, with a Mad Max 2 felling and more action, it would have been a 10/10 film, because it would have been way more epic. (yeah! :) mundane settings suck: :P )
But, being a film restricted to a petty criminal organization, restricts its greatness: for me a great film needs a great theme and there is little that is lesser in greatness than a gangster theme. It is simply one of those "american" cultural constructs that do not fit in may world view: why one would be so interested in the lives of pathetic criminals?
From a technical perspective this film is great, but from an artistic perspective this film is not that great, it is good, but not great. In conclusion: a very good film, but not a great one. Want a powerful drama? Anderson's There Will Be Blood is a way more powerful drama film than this one.