In my opinion, this is one of the very few movies i would call an all time classic and jewel of a movie, up there with Schindler's List and other great films. This movie really depicts what hardships the characters faced, and how their own perception of life affected their lives. Now as I look through some reviews, some say it's not a good film due to the fact that it doesn't have a good ending, or that it was not pleasant to watch. This is one of the main keys of the story. These people, filled with greed and anger and hatred, with the experiences they've been through, didn't know what was better, so their lives went downhill due to their actions and because simply the life that they thought they were living was a good one, but in fact, it is not. I'm trying really hard not to release any spoilers, so I will put it in simple terms: sure, for some this movie may not end on good terms, and it may be uncomfortable to watch, but it is important to know that this was an entirely different time period, and some of the main characters, such as Maximillian and Noodles, were not good people. Sure, they did face terrible things when they first came to America, but they grew into something that they believed was good, but wasn't. Now it wasn't their fault because that was one of the only ways to survive, but this film is the most descriptive and most authentic way to show that not everything ends well, even if you thought you were doing it right.