With even the former director of the Actors Studio and proponent of method acting Lee Strasberg having one of the key roles this is one of the strongest acted movies ever. With Brando not present there seems to be more space for others. Especially De Niro impresses here because he had to take Brando's Godfather into account (he mimics his eye, head movement, diction and hand gestures). Both Strasberg and De Niro were nominated but De Niro won from the godfather of method acting.

Part 2 is very well structured: Not only is it a great idea to integrate a prequel and a sequel but they enhance each other creating more emotional intensity: death and birth of a child for example. But the greatest achievement in structuring the story comes in the end, when several story lines are intertwining more and more until the short but powerful climax.

Again we see that dark and light is used to separate the inner, godfather world from the outer, ordinary world. Only in the beginning there are more lighter scenes in the godfather world to signify Michael's failed efforts to go legitimate. Once again very effective use of doors, mirrors and windows just as in part 1.

Where part 1 and the prequel are about the rise the sequel in part 2 is about the fall of the Godfather family (not the empire). Whereas Vito stands for traditional, Italian values, Michael stands for modern, New World-values. The core of the story comes in the end, showing Michael both in the prequel and the sequel as a lonely outsider. That's why his efforts as a family man fail so dramatically, and he's in fact only excellent in 'business'.