The Godfather
Caution. Age: 18+. A Catholic review of this movie for parents.
Our review
The Godfather is about the Corleones, a crime family in New York in the 1940s. The youngest son, Michael, is a war hero who wants nothing to do with the family business. Step by step he becomes its cold new boss and loses his soul. This film is for grown-ups only. It is not for children or teens. This is one of the best-made films there is, and it is a true picture of how sin works. Michael begins by doing evil to protect his father and ends by ordering murders while he renounces Satan at a baptism. The film never calls that anything but a lie, and its last image is a door shutting on his wife. But the Corleones are warm, loyal and attractive, and the film shows no repentance, no confession and no way back. With the bloodshed, nudity, adultery and slurs added, the verdict is Caution, for adults who can admire the craft without admiring the men.
For parents
Adults only. The R rating and Common Sense Media's 16+ are not enough for Catholic teens: the violence is heavy, there is brief nudity and a sex scene, and the killers are the most likable people on screen. For adults and older sons and daughters who have seen it, talk about the baptism. The rite itself is shown faithfully. Before baptism the Church asks for an explicit renunciation of Satan (CCC 1237), and a godparent must be a firm believer ready to help the child on the road of Christian life, a real office in the Church (CCC 1255). Michael says the words and means none of them. Using a sacrament as an alibi is sacrilege, which is a grave sin (CCC 2120). The baby is still truly baptized. Michael's lie harms Michael. Note too that the Corleones make the family and its power their god, which the Catechism names as idolatry (CCC 2113). Ask: where did Michael first go wrong? What would repentance have looked like for him? Why does the film end on a closed door?