Heartbreak

Rating: 9/10 (24 June 2008)

In the saga of "The Godfather" it became unimaginable to believe Coppola could top his two previous achievements. Part I and Part II shine because of their terrific performances, but the films as a whole needed some serious editing, and there were problems with the pacing. Most of those aspects were fixed in the third installment, and the performances continued to be pretty flawless, with the exception of Sofia Coppola, a last minute replacement for the I wonder what she could have done with the role Winona Ryder. Coppola is not bad, but she can't match the sterling work by Paccino, Hamilton, Keaton, a magnificent supporting cast, and especially the dark turn by Talia Shire, who takes a role that would have made Lady Macbeth a serious attack of paranoia.
This film is a visual stunner, and it brings together the best of the previous two movies, as musical themes are revived, key plot points are revisited in order to explore the dynamics of the present time drama. The audience knows Michael Corleone will never be able to achieve respectability because of his previous dealings. It is impossible to him to repair the familial bonds as Kate (Keaton) returns in a dashing performance to advocate for the future of her son against the will of her ex-husband. She still hesitates and fears him, but she is willing to confront him. To add an explosive touch to the mix, enter Andy Garcia, the soon to be heir to the Corleone empire, and whose ties to the family are already problematic to begin with.
"III" shines in more ways than one, with its traditional first act, presenting the players, the series of turning points in the middle that set up the grandiose last act, where dialog is kept to a minimum and events keep unfolding to the tragic end, a scene that will break more than a few hearts in the audience, as Michael, an ruthless icon of power discovers that his world has been shattered in a way he will be unable to manipulate.
"Godfather III" is just the right way to end a great story.