Rating of
2.5/4
"Once Upon A Time In America" by Yojimbo
Yojimbo - wrote on 05/21/12
Sergio Leone's epic tale of the life of a group of slum kids turned gangsters is certainly not for those looking for a cinematic quick fix; it weighs in at over 3 and a half hours. But I must say it did not drag, although I think it could have been a much better film with some serious trimming. The meat of the story, set in the years when the friends had become established gangsters were excellent, but it dwelt on their childhood escapades for far too long and the scenes set in the modern day were overly soapy and melodramatic. My other problem is in it's depiction of women. Without exception, every female character was either a hooker or a rape victim or both. It's certainly worthwhile, especially for the central section, but as a depiction of a criminal dynasty, The Godfather reigns supreme.
