During his reflections, Michael reflects on a conversation with his girlfriend Kay Adams Michelson (Diane Keaton). In that conversation, he tells her how his father got singer Johnny Fontane out of a music contract. He mentions how his father not only got Fontane out of the contract, but also a $1,000 check. Then the next scene has a Hollywood director waking up to a horse head in his bed. Well, those of us who watched the first movie know that the horse head was a result of getting Fontane a role in a movie and not about the music contract. Fail.
After his reflections, we see that Michael writes a letter to his children Anthony (Franc D'Ambrosio) and Mary (Sofia Coppola) in an attempt to reconcile. He apparently did as we next see him in New York, receiving a papal order for his charitable donations which are in the millions. So back to my first paragraph, he let's his compound fall into disrepair, but yet he has the ability to donate millions to the church? The start of the movie has you thinking that Michael has fallen on hard times. Maybe his casino investments went south? But no, he's a very wealthy individual. Okay, maybe that whole scene of a rundown compound was meant as an analogy of his family life and in a way foreshadowed the future, but to me I just don't see Michael allowing that spot to go to ruin like that. Just doesn't seem to be his personality.
After receiving his papal order, there is an after party. There, we meet a wannabe mobster, Vincent Mancini (Andy Garcia). He is the illegitimate son of Michael's brother Sonny (died in the first movie). We learn that Michael doesn't even have him on the guest list though he is recognized by someone at the party and is allowed into the event. Like Sonny, Vincent is a man of action versus a strategist like Michael. This is important point on another failing of the movie.
Anyways, another moment at the party has Anthony going to see his father and telling him that he is dropping out of law school to pursue opera. Michael disapproves, but is convinced by Kay to allow Anthony to drop out of school. At the same time, Michael intervenes in a dispute between Vincent and another mafia leader named Joey Zasa (Joe Mantegna). Vincent shows his violence by attacking Joey after a deal has been struck. For some reason, Michael still brings Vincent into the fold. Okay, so Michael doesn't put him on the invite list. Understands that he has qualities similar to what got Sonny killed. And yet he brings him into the fold? Makes no sense.
The middle part of the film revolves on Michael's attempt to shift his money from the casino business to a company called Immobiliare. From how it is explained, it sounds like it is the largest property REIT in Europe. The reason he targets a European company versus a US based one is because the property is owed by the Catholic Church and he knows that the Vatican Bank has financial issues. So Michael is on his way from shifting from pure mafia activity to the casino business (partially out of the mafia) to a REIT. This is something he's tried to do since the first movie and something he had long promised his family. Yet, he gets pulled back into the world of the mafia, because the other mafia leaders aren't happy that he isn't helping them move out of the business. Okay, so seriously, these leaders can't figure out a way to get out of the mafia world on their own?
Anyways, Michael sets up a meeting with these leaders. Joey Zasa is also invited. Michael gives enormous amounts of money to everyone (based on their investments in the casinos) except for Joey. Wait, why would a strategic Michael do this? He both invites Joey to the meeting and then embarrasses him by not proving him with anything? Even if Joey had little involvement in the casino business, would Michael really do this?
Joey leaves in anger. Within minutes, a helicopter outfitted with a machine gun (or two) blasts the meeting room. Michael and Vincent barely escape, but most everyone else is killed. Shortly thereafter, Michael suffers a diabetic stroke. While he recuperates, Vincent takes action against Joey and kills him. When Michael (who is slowly gaining back his health) learns about this, he grows very angry. He tells Vincent that Joey was not the brains behind what had happened and that they shouldn't have taken that action until figuring out how to deal with the real brains behind the attack. This is the second time Vincent has taken action when cautious strategic thinking would have been better. Okay, so what if Joey had gotten paid out, would he still have shot up the meeting room?
The family then heads to Italy where Anthony is the lead singer in an opera. Okay, I don't know much about opera, but someone who no doubt spent hours studying hard in undergrad in order to get into law school was able to become a top professional opera singer? Doesn't opera singing take years of training? I guess not.
While in Europe, intrigue comes about regarding the mafia, the Catholic Church and Immobiliare. By this time, Michael looks to be not at full health, but does appear to have gotten his mental capacity back. He is able to maneuver strategically through the intrigue and is able to secure the deal. He has finally succeeded in what he has desired. He's gotten his family out of the mafia business.
But perhaps he has let his guard down. For some reason, he puts Vincent in charge of the mafia side of the business. Now why exactly would Michael put Vincent in charge of the family business? Maybe Michael notices something in Vincent that I don't think anyone watching the movie notices? To me, Vincent is still a bit of a hothead. He hasn't really shown any ability to think strategically. He only is able to follow through with the tactics that Michael gives him. Basically, during this whole time, Michael asks Vincent to become a double agent. All I see is Vincent being able to provide useful info on the interactions.
In a repeat of what happened in the first two movies, with all the chess pieces figures out, Michael/Vincent enact their long game strategy of taking out their enemies. Sorry, this just seems like a repeat of the first two movies and very repetitive.
Anyways, the above are the reasons why I find this movie a waste of time.
What I did really enjoy: I honestly think the last few minutes is awesome. It finally answers if Michael was ever able to keep his word about getting his family out of the mafia business.
Also, I do remember that Sofia Coppola got a lot of criticism for her acting. Honestly, it wasn't brilliant, but it was solid. I think she got better as the movie progressed. I think her last scene was brilliant.
No comments:
Post a Comment