Good but not great....

Rating: 7/10 (6 October 2005)

This is a beautifully filmed motion picture. The settings and the sounds are perfect for sitting the mood, but what makes this film only good and not great (like its 2 predecessors) is the distractions of of 2 actors, 2 roles and a plot that, while logical, is somewhat unbelievable.
The actors, lets get them out of of the way, were Sofia Coppola and George Hamilton. Neither was believable, but I do not blame the actors, that error falls to the director for even allowing such casting. Sofia and George do not fit the mold. Their mannerism, dialects and mannerisms fail to compare to the outstanding acting of the other cast members.
The roles..The first is Vincent (played skillfully by Andy Garcia) For me to believe that Michael is so willing to accept the bastard son of his dead brother is ridiculous. This role should have been handled by Michael's or Connie's son. And the whole incest thing should have been nixed also.
The second role was one where the the scenes would have better fit on the cutting room floor. Grace Hamilton serves no real purpose. Appears out of no where and then is gone in a flash. It only adds to the distraction.
The other role was one that was missing. Tom Hagen was sorely missed, and his absence and lame explanation were horribly gaping holes in the Godfather fabric.
Lastly is the plot, while overall I found it very in intriguing, I still felt that so much was contrived. The idea has always been that Micahel had become what he had not wanted to be. He admired his father but never wanted to do what his father wanted to do. He bowed to the needs and desires of his families. But this chapter does not show that conflict, that coolness or that rage within.
One last note: While I will watch the film again I cannot help but wish that it never existed.