That's your opinion, Shogun. Story-wise, I prefer this one over "Godfather II," which means the script probably isn't quite as bad as you say.
How Mary's demise negatively affects a main character doesn't change the fact that she's a side character. Were Bruce Wayne's parents in the Batman storyline peripheral or not?
As you probably know, Winona Ryder was originally slated for the role of Mary, but had to cancel, which left Francis in a bind and so he chose his daughter because she was immediately available and he knew he could work closely with her. I'll take Sofia over Ryder. Respectable critics like Gary Franklin and Roger Ebert also had a positive view of Sofia in the movie, so I'm not alone in my perspective. By contrast, Ebert's coworker, Gene Siskel, lambasted her as being “out of her acting league,” as you did. Who's right, who's wrong?
The gross negative overreaction to Sofia's performance as Mary suggests that critics caught wind of her struggles behind the camera, smelled blood, and a critical feeding-frenzy naturally ensued. I hate to break it to them and you, but other more established actors sometimes struggle due to the pressure behind the scenes and even have total meltdowns. Why do you think Rick Dalton's meltdown in his trailer on set was included in "Once Upon a Time... in Hollywood"? While these more iconic actors get a pass, Sofia is damned to suffer the full wrath of the press, no doubt because she just so happens to be the director's daughter and it makes for some good gossip in the biz.
I saw all three films back-to-back and was braced for Sofia's part being a total train wreck, but it never happened. It's a lie, a cinematic myth.
You obviously disagree and that's your prerogative.
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