Once Upon a Time in America

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Once Upon a Time in America

R

1984

2h 19m

Crime

Drama

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

86%

Tomatometer

56 Reviews

93%

Popcornmeter

50,000+ Ratings

In 1968, the elderly David "Noodles" Aaronson (Robert De Niro) returns to New York, where he had a career in the criminal underground in the '20s and '30s. Most of his old friends, like longtime partner Max (James Woods), are long gone, yet he feels his past is unresolved. Told in flashbacks, the film follows Noodles from a tough kid in a Jewish slum in New York's Lower East Side, through his rise to bootlegger and then Mafia boss -- a journey marked by violence, betrayal and remorse.

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Critics Consensus

Sergio Leone's epic crime drama is visually stunning, stylistically bold, and emotionally haunting, and filled with great performances from the likes of Robert De Niro and James Woods.

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Pauline Kael

The New Yorker

It isn’t just the echoing moments that keep you absorbed. It’s those reverberant dreamland settings and Leone’s majestic, billowing sense of film movement; the images seem to come at you in waves of feeling.

Sep 13, 2023

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Paul Attanasio

Washington Post

The movie's four hours long, but no one had the time to write a single real character.

Jan 4, 2018

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Gary Arnold

Washington Post

This would-be epic schlep, dragging almost 50 years of chronology over a sluggish 140 minutes, is far too slight of text and ponderous of presentation to sustain more than nodding-off dramatic interest.

May 5, 2017

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Dennis Harvey

48 Hills

A bad movie at any length, swimming in the syrup of Morricone's score. But hey, some call it a masterpiece.

Jul 12, 2024

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Toussaint Egan

Polygon

Once Upon a Time in America is a tremendous work that captures the animating ambition and sorrow at the heart of the American Dream.

Oct 22, 2021

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David Nusair

Reel Film Reviews

...sprawling subject matter that's employed to admittedly erratic yet often striking effect by Leone...

Rated: 3/4

Feb 16, 2021

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Cody H

Not afraid to take its time to tell it's story, which helps it in the end. A must see classic.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

11/22/24

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Doc M

It was a good movie with good acting and period filming. I didn't buy Elizabeth McGovern's role as the old Deborah. She looked like a teenager even when they all were grown up. The soundtrack wea good as well.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

11/15/24

Full Review

Patrick W

Let me start off by saying that this film is a sleeper for many people. It is also an undeniable masterpiece. I found this movie to be superior to Goodfellas, Godfather and Godfather II in almost every way. Yes, I went there. Deal with it. This is a powerful work of cinematic art, which is, I suppose, to be expected given the fact that it was also the final film released before the untimely death of Director Sergio Leone. If you watch this film, it needs to be the Martin Scorsese restored Director's Cut of the film - but be warned, that film is over FOUR HOURS long, but it is the ONLY enjoyable way to watch it. The American butchered edit is a jumbled mess and the reason this film was panned in America in 1984. This film was a who's who of actors in the 1980's. Robert DeNiro, James Woods, Joe Pesci, Treat Williams, Elizabeth McGovern, the list goes on and on. If you miss out on this film, that is a terrible shame, because it is totally worth a viewing, but don't be surprised if you end up watching it multiple times. It is THAT good!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

11/11/24

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Garrett B

Very long but very good

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

11/06/24

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K D

Pretty good to me , I would recommend it if you find it on redbox

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

10/10/24

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David E

The full version is an absolute must to watch instead of the theatrical release. The latter editted out too much and destroyed the film's vision by putting the scenes in chronological order.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

09/08/24

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Sergio Leone

Director

Robert De Niro

David 'Noodles' Aaronson

James Woods

Maximilian 'Max' Bercovicz

Elizabeth McGovern

Deborah Gelly

Treat Williams

James Conway O'Donnell

Tuesday Weld

Carol

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Synopsis

In 1968, the elderly David "Noodles" Aaronson (Robert De Niro) returns to New York, where he had a career in the criminal underground in the '20s and '30s. Most of his old friends, like longtime partner Max (James Woods), are long gone, yet he feels his past is unresolved. Told in flashbacks, the film follows Noodles from a tough kid in a Jewish slum in New York's Lower East Side, through his rise to bootlegger and then Mafia boss -- a journey marked by violence, betrayal and remorse.

Director: Sergio Leone
Producer: Arnon Milchan
Screenwriter: Harry Grey, Piero De Bernardi, Leonardo Benvenuti, Enrico Medioli, Franco Arcalli, Franco Ferrini, Sergio Leone
Production Co: Warner Brothers, Embassy International Pictures
Rating: R
Genre: Crime, Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Streaming): Dec 12, 2015
Runtime: 2h 19m

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