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Naïve film student Clark (Matthew Broderick) becomes involved in the dealings of legendary mobster Carmine Sabatini (Marlon Brando), who imports exotic endangered animals into the country, in Andrew Bergman’s crime comedy co-starring Bruno Kirby, Penelope Ann Miller, Frank Whaley, Paul Benedict and Maximilian Schell.

It’s really fun, gently sending up Mafia movie tropes in a way that shows Bergman’s clear affection for them, this sense of enthusiasm really coming across on screen and adding to the experience. There’s something so pleasant and enjoyable about the way the wonderfully silly plot unfolds that I was smiling virtually non-stop throughout, everybody involved giving something extra to the film.

Brando gamely spoofs his iconic performance in The Godfather, and it’s a real delight…

Review by Tommy Parker ★★★

There is a movie where The Godfather kisses Ferris Bueller right on the lips

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The lost Godfather film. Somewhere in that 20 year wave of Mafia comedies that followed in the wake of 1985's critical and commercial hit Prizzi's Honor, Marlon Brando resurrected Vito Corleone. He did it for a very offbeat little TriStar comedy from writer/director Andrew Bergman and starring Matthew Broderick (playing against the smart aleck teen type that he'd perfected in films like WarGames and Ferris Bueller's Day Off) as Clark, a naïve first year NYU film student whose bad-luck arrival in the Big Apple gets him mixed up with the mob. And a giant lizard.

Truly, everyone Clark meets once he arrives in New York is a bit bizarre, resulting in a movie that's jampacked with colorful character actors: Bruno…

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The description on Hulu – “Marlon Brando stars as a mob boss whose influence on a naïve college boy (Matthew Broderick) saves the life of a Komodo dragon.”

….you had me at Komodo dragon.

I didn't hate this, but I was shocked to see the 94% score on RT because the plot is kinda stupid asf.

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This one’s going out for Marlon “Bud” Brando, Jr., born April 3, 1924.

“Without humor, what do we have?”

With one exception, I have thoroughly enjoyed The Freshman each of the three times I’ve seen it. The exception is the endangered-animals subplot and the sleazy rich folks who want to eat them. I realize there are such creeps, but I don’t want to know about them. The threat to the animals is depressing, even if it turns out to be a scam.

What appeals to me about The Freshman is that it’s about films. Not only is Clark Kellogg (Matthew Broderick) an NYU film student, but the film overflows with direct and indirect film references. The clips from The Godfather:…

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Me: Mom, can we watch The Godfather?

Mom: No, we have The Godfather at home.

The Godfather at home:

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Marlon Brando’s long lost Godfather Sequel?? Billed as a comedy?? Plus it throws Matthew Broderick in the mix?? why am I now just seeing this?!!!

I actually laughed quite a bit throughout and that’s mainly due to the awesome duo mentioned above but the real credit goes to Broderick himself. His innocence mixed with the mafia norms was just fun to watch, no matter how simple and predictable things can be. 8/10🤵🏻‍♂️

Review by p2wy ★★★★½

Third best film in The Godfather series. Has been a favorite of mine since it came out.

Review by chavel ★★★

Marlon Brando did a self-parody of his famous Don Vito Corleone character in this 1990 comedy by playing another hefty figure with clout in the Queens borough (his name is Carmine Sabatini). He cajoles young college student Matthew Broderick to come work for him where he is assigned to transport an endangered species animal from the airport hub to a destination for a private collector. Broderick is a young nervous wreck who wants off the job when it teeters into illegal activity; Broderick is amusing but predictable. This is a movie where Brando owns every scene he’s in and everybody else is just reacting to what the godfather of acting is doing.

Funny though is Penelope Ann Miller as Carmine’s…

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I wouldn't call it hilarious, but it is very funny in spots and extremely amusing throughout. All the scenes Broderick has opposite Brando are gold. And I appreciate the seamless way Andrew Bergman was able to leverage the gravitas of Brando's Don Corleone performance for laughs, and then, just as that bit was starting to lose some steam, accelerate full speed into screwball caper comedy.

Worth your time, if for no other reason than to hear Bert Parks deliver the swingingest version of "Maggie's Farm" in recorded history.

Review by Jackson ★★★★★ Liked

“So, what do you think about New York so far?” - Tina

“I stopped thinking 24 hours ago. I’m going on pure instinct.” - Clark

The first time I watched this masterpiece, I didn’t realize how good it was. It literally has anything you would want. A hilariously old and out of shape Marlon Brando parodying his performance as Vito Corleone, Matthew Broderick chasing a wild Komodo dragon across a mall, a scam-job that turns into one of the most insane adventures ever, Brando and Broderick talking about Curious George, a dashingly young B.D. Wong, an annoyingly arrogant film teacher, another insane chase, this time including 2 DOJ detectives who crash into a car elevator, and Bert Parks in a cameo, singing “There She Is” to a Komodo dragon. The list goes on and on.

Such a fun, dopamine induced thrill ride that is incessantly entertaining.

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Marlon Brando bastardizes his legacy for a paycheck in this contrived and unfunny mafia comedy. It failed to hold my interest so that I watched it in two parts. Points for having a komodo dragon in it though.