Goodfellas

Goodfellas is a released in 1990 crime drama film directed by Martin Scorese. It is based on the non-fiction book Wiseguy by Nicholas Pileggi who also co-wrote the screenplay for the film with Scorsese. The film follows the rise and fall of three gangsters, spanning three decades.

Review:
The basis comes from the true-life story of Hill (played by Ray Liotta), who grew up with dreams of becoming a gangster, skipping school for months at a time to work for the cab service across the street run by mob boss Paul Cicero (Paul Sorvino). The way of life for a mobster, as seen through young Henry's impressionable eyes, is the ultimate way of life He's like the kid in the candy store, only this time, stealing is the only way to get what he wants, with no fear of penance. As a man of 21, and very much acquainted with the underworkings of the "family," Henry knows more connections and has more money than most people have in a lifetime, all through heists, thefts, and criminal operations kept quiet by the higher-ups. We get a real sense of the mafia's inner workings from this film, as Scorsese lays out an intricate map of loyalties and alliances, bonds and relationships, all walking a tightrope that revolves around one thing and one thing alone: money

I think Scorsese's choice to include the voice-over of the Hill character is his smartest move in the film. There's so much that we learn about the criminal profession through his explanations of life in the mob: for instance, when he recalls that "Paulie might have moved slow, but it was only because Paulie didn't have to move for anybody," we have a complete sense of Paul as a brooding mob boss, and all in less than two words. Scorsese, and his co-writer Nicholas Pileggi there's Jimmy Conway (Robert De Niro), one of the most feared men in the entire city, and then there's Tommy DeVito (Joe Pesci), the fast-talking, short-tempered hot-head who tends to speak (and shoot) before he thinks. These are men who have no inhibitions about their occupations: if it means killing someone to keep others from getting "pinched," then that's it, That's all there is to it. Even Henry's wife, Karen (Lorraine Bracco), soon becomes accustomed to life with a gangster: when he asks her to hide the gun he just used to beat someone's face in with, a voice-over regails Scorsese makes them into all-out despicable criminals that form an entirely different concept. As the story progresses, we see the rise and fall of each of the characters, each coming to their downfall at an unexpected point, none ever realizing or acknowledging the possible consequences of their actions. They have been blinded by the mob life for so long, wrapped up in the protective blanket of their camaraderie and influence, that they feel as if nothing can bring them down. The events that lead to the outcome of the story ultimately proves otherwise: where there's crime, there's almost always a comeuppance.

The usual Scorsese trademarks are back in fine form here. There's a scene in which a bartender rebukes one of his remarks with a derogatory comment. Tommy sits there, stunned, as his pals cheer the bartender on; then, without warning, he empties his gun into the poor S.O.B. Even Lorraine Bracco is powerful as the wife, a once virtuous woman now transformed into a tool for her husband's shady dealings. More than any other film I've seen, I think "Goodfellas" captures most significantly the fact that the mafia isn't solely a bunch of guys sitting around, arguing in Italian, and shooting one another, though we do get a taste of all these things. There's more to it than that: outside sources can include everyone from cops, lawyers, judges, even employees of intended targets hoping to get in on the action. "We ran everything," says Henry. "Everyone had their hands out. Everything was for the taking." That Scorsese broadens his canvas to include the outside influences as well as the inner sanctum of the family is what makes his film so hardhitting and true; "Goodfellas" is the best Scorsese picture to date, the work of someone driven by the music of his story, his characters, and the meaning behind it all.

Cast:

Directed : Martin Scorsese
Produced : Irwin Winkler
Written by Screenplay : Nicholas Pileggi Martin Scorsese
Book : Nicholas Pileggi
Narrated: Ray Liotta Lorraine Bracco
Starring :

Ray Liotta

Robert De Niro

Joe Pesci

Lorraine Bracco

Paul Sorvino

Cinematography: Michael

Editing: Thelma Schoonmaker
Distributed by Warner Bros.

Release date(s) September 21, 1990
Running time 146 minutes
Language: English