'The Offer' Review: Riveting cast shines in this slow-paced homage to 'The Godfather'
"I'm gonna make him an offer he can't refuse." The iconic line from Francis Ford Coppola's 'The Godfather' still gives its fans goosebumps as it did when the film came out in 1972. Based on a best-selling novel written by Mario Puzo, who co-wrote the screenplay, the movie series is widely considered one of the greatest and most influential films of all time. Making the cinematic masterpiece, however, wasn't an easy task. 'The Offer', created by Michael Tolkin, depicts the true story behind the making of the 1972 classic ‘The Godfather’. The limited series is influenced by the real-life experiences of the movie’s producer Albert S Ruddy (played by Miles Teller in the series). The ten-episode series chronicles the tumultuous production of the iconic film by depicting the chaos, casting issues, miscommunications, backstabbing, mafia, and budget cuts that ensued.
Armie Hammer was the original choice to play Al Ruddy. However, replacing him with Miles Teller was ultimately one of the best decisions that the showrunners made. Teller does an excellent job of portraying the producer, an unknown name in Hollywood prior to 'The Godfather', who later went on to produce a blockbuster and an Academy Award-winning film.
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Teller’s compelling performance is equally supported by Matthew Goode who plays the eccentric Robert Evans, the legendary Paramount studio head. Goode's magnificent performance fills the screen with massive charisma. It would truly be a shame if Goode doesn’t receive any recognition for his performance in the award season next year.
Teller and Goode are supported by a strong and remarkable cast. Dan Fogler brilliantly captures the mannerisms of 'The Godfather's director Francis Ford Coppola. It's not possible to tell the story of the making of 'The Godfather' without talking about the film's connections to the Mafia. Giovanni Ribisi is outstanding as mafia chief Joe Colombo and brilliantly manages to bring a balance between fear and humor in his performance.
While the performance of the cast elevates the series, there are times when the story overall seems to overstretch with a lot of unnecessary subplots and a lack of cohesion. The series has a nearly dull pace and there are certain episodes where it takes forever to get to the interesting parts of the narrative. Nevertheless, 'The Offer' is a celebration of 1970s Hollywood and exalts the power of cinema. Overall, ‘The Offer’ does a satisfactory job of paying homage to one of the greatest films ever made. The fans of ‘The Godfather’ will surely love all the real-life stories and behind-the-scenes glances at the many iconic moments of the movie.