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The Godfather Part II

The Godfather Part II

The rise and fall of the Corleone empire.

1974202 minRMidcredits score: 99th percentile of all films
Director
Francis Ford Coppola
Starring
Al Pacino, Robert Duvall, Diane Keaton, Robert De Niro

In the continuing saga of the Corleone crime family, a young Vito Corleone grows up in Sicily and in 1910s New York. In the 1950s, Michael Corleone attempts to expand the family business into Las Vegas, Hollywood and Cuba.

Where to watch

Where can I watch The Godfather Part II?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove lists The Godfather Part II streaming on Paramount+ and Pluto TV (free).

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Highlights

What stands out about The Godfather Part II?

The Godfather Part II earns 15 badges, led by Top 1% of films and Stood the test of time.

Show 7 more
  • Rank
  • Reception
  • Craft and mood
  • Awards and box office
  • Cast

Reception

Is The Godfather Part II worth watching?

The Godfather Part II's Midcredits score is the 99th percentile of all films, from 3M ratings across 6 sources. 94% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

99th percentile

Better received than 99% of films

99th percentile among Crime99th percentile among 1970s
Acclaim (how much people like it)99th
Approval (how many liked it)99th

89 /100

99th percentile of all films

99th percentile among Crime99th percentile among 1970s

Critics 90 · Audience 89

Critics and audiences broadly agree.

Rating distribution

Ratings pile up at 9–10 with almost no detractors — near-universal love.

94% liked it

99th percentile of all films

99th percentile among Crime99th percentile among 1970s
94% rated it 7–106% rated it 1–6

Critics 96% · Audience 97%

On Rotten Tomatoes, critics and audiences approve at similar rates.

Awards

6 Oscars won · 5 Oscar noms · 16 wins / 20 noms overall

  • WonAcademy Awards· Best Actor in a Supporting Role
  • WonAcademy Awards· Best Art Direction-Set Decoration

99th percentile

3M ratings across platforms

99th percentile among Crime99th percentile among 1970s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Down 7% in 30 days

Box office

Budget$13M
Opening weekend$171K
Domestic gross$48M
Worldwide gross$48M

Returned 3.7× its budget — 92nd percentile earner in its genre.

What reviewers say

Common ground

A technically masterful, sprawling epic that contrasts the rise of Vito Corleone with the moral decay of his son Michael.

Fans praised

  • Pacino's performance as cold, calculating, emotionally hollow Don
  • De Niro's understated, transformative performance as young Vito
  • Genius of dual timelines contrasting Vito's rise with Michael's fall

Detractors panned

  • Convoluted, meandering plot with poor narrative focus
  • Slow pacing that makes the 200-minute runtime feel excessive
  • Flashbacks feel like an intrusion that breaks momentum

What stands out

Acting95

Pacino and De Niro deliver career-defining performances; entire ensemble superb

Cinematography95

Gordon Willis's sepia-toned flashbacks and shadowy dark interiors

Atmosphere95

Immersive period recreation from Little Italy to pre-revolutionary Cuba

CharactersDivisive90

Deep character study of Michael's corruption contrasted with Vito's community-based rise

EndingDivisive90

Powerful, bleak final montage with Michael sitting alone in memory

Emotional impactDivisive85

Devastating tragedy of Michael's isolation and moral ruin

Plot and storyDivisive75

Complex dual-narrative structure praised as ambitious but criticized as confused and slow

PacingDivisive65

Slow, deliberate rhythm; some find it majestic, others tedious

Preferred by

No notable difference between any of the groups: each pair ranks it within 10 percentile points.

  • Women vs men 1 point apart
  • Under-30s vs over-30s even
  • Critics vs users even
  • US vs non-US 1 point apart

Watch experience

What is The Godfather Part II like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

Dark and unsettling: browse every movie of this kind

Watch this when you are ready to pay close attention and feel heavy feelings, and you want something dark that stays with you.

It is intense, takes its time and leaves you devastated. Skip it when you want an easy night or you can only half-watch.

ToneFeelDemandwhat the answer rests onexact position · filled zone: the category

What it asks of you

Your full attention, room for heavy feelings and patience.

What it feels like

Dark and unsettling.

The answer rests on this: Moods
TenseMelancholicDread
Heaviest: late
Register
Brooding: Heavy, inward, weather-beaten.Solemn: Grave and dignified; treats its subject with weight and respect.
Told as
Nonlinear · 6% of films: Events shown out of chronological order.
ToneThe film treats its material with solemn, brooding gravity, allowing the weight of Michael's moral decay to be felt without undercutting.
The rideSustained tension and creeping dread build toward the devastating final sequence of Michael's isolation and Fredo's murder.
StructureThe story intercuts Michael's 1950s story with Vito's early life, creating a dual timeline structure.

How it leaves you

what you carry away

Devastated.

The answer rests on this: Devastating · 3% of filmsHaunting · 14% of films
Why it leaves you this wayLeaves you with the weight of Michael's moral and emotional emptiness, a haunting portrait of power's cost.
How it ends · evidence
Tragic ending

Story archetype

where it sits among all films
Monster — 21% of films. A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated.Rags — 3% of films. A rise from lowliness to fortune, status, or recognition.Quest — 10% of films. A journey toward a defined objective, with companions and obstacles.Voyage — 4% of films. Into a strange world and back again, changed.Comedy — 11% of films. Confusion and cross-purposes resolved into harmony.Tragedy — 9% of films. A flaw or fixation drives the protagonist to ruin.Rebirth — 13% of films. A stalled or darkened life reopened and renewed.Mystery — 7% of films. A question drives the story — who did it, what happened, what is real — until it is answered.No archetype — 22% of filmsPredator — 6% of films. A creature or killer hunts the protagonists (Jaws, Alien).Tyrant — 6% of films. A human villain holds power over the hero's world (Die Hard).Invasion — 2% of films. An external force attacks the home or world (Independence Day).Oppressive state — 2% of films. A government, its agencies or a secret faction inside them is the monster (V for Vendetta).Corporate villainy — 1% of films. A company or its bosses are the monster (Erin Brockovich).Institutional injustice — 1% of films. A court, prison, police force, school or church is itself the enemy (Spotlight).Class system — under 1% of films. The gap between rich and poor, or a rigid hierarchy, is the monster (Parasite).Technology turns — under 1% of films. Technology people rely on becomes the threat (The Terminator).Inner demon — 1% of films. The monster is within — addiction, illness, a dark double.Underdog triumph — 2% of films. Rise through competition or contest (Rocky).Social ascent — under 1% of films. A climb in class or status (Pretty Woman).Fame and fortune — under 1% of films. An artistic or showbiz rise (A Star Is Born).Rise and fall — under 1% of films. Wealth or power gained, self lost (Scarface).Hidden worth revealed — under 1% of films. The protagonist's true value finally recognized.Treasure hunt — 1% of films. Retrieve an object of value (Raiders of the Lost Ark).Rescue — 4% of films. Retrieve or save a person (Saving Private Ryan).Mission — 5% of films. Accomplish or destroy a defined objective (Mission: Impossible).Journey home — under 1% of films. The goal is getting back (Finding Nemo).Pilgrimage — 1% of films. The journey itself transforms; the destination is symbolic.Portal fantasy — under 1% of films. Transported into another world (The Wizard of Oz).Fish out of water — 2% of films. Displaced into an unfamiliar social world (Elf).Survival ordeal — 1% of films. Trapped in a hostile environment, fighting back (Cast Away).Time displacement — under 1% of films. Unstuck in time (Back to the Future).Descent — 1% of films. A night-journey into an underworld or subculture (After Hours).Romantic comedy — 4% of films. Lovers kept apart by confusion, united at last.Comedy of errors — 3% of films. Mistaken identity or misunderstanding drives the plot.Farce — 2% of films. Escalating absurd chaos and coincidence (The Hangover).Buddy comedy — 1% of films. A mismatched pair forced together (Rush Hour).Comedy of manners — 1% of films. Social codes and class satirized (Clueless).Hubris — 1% of films. Pride or ambition invites the fall (There Will Be Blood).Obsession — 2% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Corruption arc — 2% of films. Step-by-step moral decay (The Godfather).Doomed love — 2% of films. Love destroyed by circumstance (Brokeback Mountain).Crushed by fate — 3% of films. Destroyed by forces beyond the protagonist's control.Redemption — 3% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Healing — 5% of films. Recovery from grief or trauma (Good Will Hunting).Liberation — 2% of films. Breaking free of a confining life (Room).Second chance — 2% of films. A stagnant life re-opened to love or purpose (Groundhog Day).Puzzle — 1% of films. A clue-by-clue puzzle you can try to solve before the reveal (Knives Out, Clue).Investigation — 5% of films. A long pursuit of the truth that may never be fully solved (Zodiac, Memories of Murder).Enigma — 2% of films. The mystery is what is real, or what is actually happening (Mulholland Drive).Tragedy
Every story archetype, clockwise from the top
  • Monster 21%: Predator 6% · Tyrant 6% · Invasion 2% · Oppressive state 2% · Corporate villainy 1% · Institutional injustice 1% · Class system under 1% · Technology turns under 1% · Inner demon 1%
  • Rags 3%: Underdog triumph 2% · Social ascent under 1% · Fame and fortune under 1% · Rise and fall under 1% · Hidden worth revealed under 1%
  • Quest 10%: Treasure hunt 1% · Rescue 4% · Mission 5% · Journey home under 1% · Pilgrimage 1%
  • Voyage 4%: Portal fantasy under 1% · Fish out of water 2% · Survival ordeal 1% · Time displacement under 1% · Descent 1%
  • Comedy 11%: Romantic comedy 4% · Comedy of errors 3% · Farce 2% · Buddy comedy 1% · Comedy of manners 1%
  • Tragedy 9% (this title): Hubris 1% · Obsession 2% · Corruption arc 2% (this title) · Doomed love 2% · Crushed by fate 3%
  • Rebirth 13%: Redemption 3% · Healing 5% · Liberation 2% · Second chance 2%
  • Mystery 7%: Puzzle 1% · Investigation 5% · Enigma 2%
  • No archetype 22%

Tragedy: A flaw or fixation drives the protagonist to ruin. · Corruption arc: Step-by-step moral decay (The Godfather).

9% of films fit this archetype

with Rags to riches underneath

Why this archetypeThe film traces Michael Corleone's descent into ruthless isolation, intercut with his father Vito's rise from immigrant to mafia don. Their stories contrast to show the corrupting nature of power.

What it's about

7 groups · 53 themes
Bonds — 27% of filmsSelf — 22% of filmsPower — 7% of filmsMorality — 16% of filmsSurvival — 15% of filmsSociety — 9% of filmsIdeas — 5% of filmsRomantic love — 15% of filmsMarriage — 2% of filmsFamily bonds — 21% of filmsParenthood — 2% of filmsFriendship — 9% of filmsLoyalty — 4% of filmsIdentity — 14% of filmsComing of age — 5% of filmsAging — under 1% of filmsSelf-worth — 7% of filmsAmbition — 7% of filmsPurpose — 9% of filmsMemory — 3% of filmsObsession — 3% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Power — 2% of filmsCorruption — 3% of filmsGreed — 3% of filmsClass — 3% of filmsOppression — 4% of filmsFreedom — 5% of filmsJustice — 13% of filmsDuty — 2% of filmsRevenge — 4% of filmsGuilt — 3% of filmsRedemption — 6% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Forgiveness — 1% of filmsSacrifice — 4% of filmsBetrayal — 5% of filmsDeception — 9% of filmsSurvival — 17% of filmsWar — 1% of filmsViolence — 4% of filmsMortality — 2% of filmsGrief — 6% of filmsTrauma — 7% of filmsMental illness — 1% of filmsAddiction — 1% of filmsIllness and disability — under 1% of filmsCommunity — 14% of films. Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Isolation — 5% of filmsPrejudice — 3% of filmsDisplacement — 1% of filmsFaith — 3% of filmsTradition vs change — 2% of filmsFame — 3% of filmsLegacy — 4% of filmsFate — 1% of filmsFree will — under 1% of filmsTruth — 4% of filmsHope — 5% of filmsNature — 2% of filmsArt — 4% of filmsTechnology — 1% of filmsSelfCorruption
Every theme, clockwise from the top
  • Bonds 27%: Romantic love 15% · Marriage 2% · Family bonds 21% (this title) · Parenthood 2% · Friendship 9% · Loyalty 4%
  • Self 22%: Identity 14% · Coming of age 5% · Aging under 1% · Self-worth 7% · Ambition 7% · Purpose 9% · Memory 3% · Obsession 3%
  • Power 7% (this title): Power 2% · Corruption 3% (this title) · Greed 3% · Class 3% · Oppression 4% · Freedom 5%
  • Morality 16%: Justice 13% · Duty 2% · Revenge 4% · Guilt 3% · Redemption 6% · Forgiveness 1% · Sacrifice 4% · Betrayal 5% · Deception 9%
  • Survival 15%: Survival 17% · War 1% · Violence 4% · Mortality 2% · Grief 6% · Trauma 7% · Mental illness 1% · Addiction 1% · Illness and disability under 1%
  • Society 9%: Community 14% · Isolation 5% · Prejudice 3% · Displacement 1% · Faith 3% · Tradition vs change 2% · Fame 3% · Legacy 4%
  • Ideas 5%: Fate 1% · Free will under 1% · Truth 4% · Hope 5% · Nature 2% · Art 4% · Technology 1%

Power

Corruption · 3% of filmsFamily bonds
Mourns its theme: Grieves its theme, or what has been lost of it.Societal stakes: Consequences reach a whole social order.Dual lead
How it treats its themeThe film charts how the pursuit and consolidation of power corrupts family loyalty, turning Michael into the very predator his father opposed.
StanceThe film mourns the corruption of the American dream and the destruction of family bonds by power, treating Michael's fall as a tragedy.

The world

Mid 20th centuryUrbanDomesticRealistic
Orchestral classicalForeground music · original score · Nino Rota
SettingLittle Italy, Lake Tahoe compound, and Havana during the Cuban Revolution
MusicRota's melancholic waltz variations link Vito's immigrant hope to Michael's tragic isolation.

Content guide

Is The Godfather Part II okay for kids?

R

The Godfather Part II is rated R. As of October 3, 2026, Midcredits content scores put its violence at severe (87/100), sexual content at mild (35/100), language at moderate (59/100), drug and alcohol content at moderate (40/100) and frightening material at intense (70/100). Overall it is heavier than 57% of R-rated films.

Ratings in 21 other countries
  • UK15
  • AustraliaM
  • Germany16
  • FranceTP
  • Ireland18
  • JapanPG12
  • South Korea19
  • Brazil14
  • Belgium18
  • Czechia15+
  • Denmark15
  • FinlandK-18
  • Greece16
  • Hungary18
  • ItalyVM14
  • MexicoC
  • Netherlands16
  • Poland18
  • PortugalM/16
  • Spain18
  • Sweden15
Overall
Intense · all five categories
Heavier than 74% of all filmsHeavier than 57% of R-rated films
Violence & Gore
Severe
heavy for an R-rated film
heavier than 78%
Sex & Nudity
Mild
typical for an R-rated film
heavier than 30%
Profanity
Moderate
typical for an R-rated film
heavier than 36%
Alcohol & Drugs
Moderate
typical for an R-rated film
heavier than 50%
Frightening / Intense
Intense
typical for an R-rated film
heavier than 64%

Point along a line to see a well-known title at that level.

The reason to think twice is violence and frightening material. Everything else sits at or below what R-rated films usually carry.

Source: Midcredits content scores, 0 (none) to 100 (severe) per category, with each standing ranked against other films that have them.

What content warnings does The Godfather Part II have?

Not screened for content warnings yet.

Cast and crew

Who is in The Godfather Part II?

Cast

2 award-winning performances in the cast.

Al Pacino
as Michael
BAFTA win: BAFTA Award — Best ActorTop draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Robert Duvall
as Tom Hagen
Career best: Their highest-reaching film role by billing, audience size and rating.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Diane Keaton
as Kay
newcomer then · star now
Robert De Niro
as Vito Corleone
Oscar win: Academy Award — Best Actor in a Supporting RoleTop draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
John Cazale
as Fredo Corleone
Talia Shire
as Connie Corleone
Lee Strasberg
as Hyman Roth
Screen debut: No prior film or television role.
Michael V. Gazzo
as Frankie Pentangeli
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
G.D. Spradlin
as Senator Pat Geary
Breakout: Their highest-reaching film role at the time, and they went on to a career at least 3 times their standing then.
Richard Bright
as Al Neri
Breakout: Their highest-reaching film role at the time, and they went on to a career at least 3 times their standing then.

Crew

More like this

What are movies like The Godfather Part II?

Movies like The Godfather Part II include The Godfather (1972), The Godfather Part III (1990) and The Irishman (2019). Of the 12 closest matches, several are films written by Mario Puzo, and most are gangster films.

Balanced: every group counts the same, and production only breaks ties.

7 of these 12 share its subject: corruption. Those cards say what else they share.

Explore by

What else shares a premise, people or place with The Godfather Part II?

485 other films share the rarest tag below, relationship: sibling rivalry. Each tag opens Browse with the films that share it.