Masterpiece

Rating: 10/10 (23 November 2001)

I see this as a quasi-sequel to "Goodfellas", where we followed the life of a newcomer to the mafia and crime. In this movie, we start already with the characters in a crime world, and the movie changes setting to Las Vegas, where in the 50's and 60's the Casinos where ruled by an ellaborate web of bosses and dirty businesses. The police tried to stop it, but it was their money which was bringing the city to life. De Niro is great, as usual, Pesci is a show-stealer, and Stone, a novelty in Scorsese's work (as Ray Liotta was in "Godfellas"), has a much-earned oscar nomination in the role of an empty woman whose path leads to decay. Scorsese's direction is fantastic (I recommend this as an introduction to his work), flamboyant and lusty as it has always been, and this is to me one of his best works. See it and marvel at it.