It has taken me far too long to watch The Godfather, and having finished it I find myself slightly deflated — because it is a tremendous movie, worthy of its status in both the American and cinematic anons, and every line and meme which has etched itself into the collective zeitgeist is delightful to hear and see in the flesh. I don't think I have much to say about it: it was a grip and a triumph and, while I often rant and whine about overlong runtimes, this one earned every minute of its three-hour runtime.

Perhaps what I would draw attention to (as if nobody has done it before) was the masterclass work by Pacino and Brando, who both in the space of a single movie gave me two of the best ten performances I've ever seen.

I will be thinking about what this movie has to say about xenia, about honor, about justice for a long time. It instructs; it does not teach. It draws more than it spells. It leaves a taste in your mouth.

★★★★★