A raw and gritty movie of life as a gangster.

Rating: 8/10 (31 July 2014)

(Spolier) Martin Scorsese's film "Goodfellas," is an adaption of the book Wiseguy, written by Nicholas Pileggi. It may be one of the best gangster movies ever made. It is raw and gritty, unlike movies of the same genre like, "The Untouchables" or "The Godfather". Scorsese stayed true to the nature of what life is really like when you are a part of the mob.
Throughout the film you see the inside dealings of the mob. These men hold nothing back. They will tell you how it is, and will whack anyone who is out of line and disrespectful. The life of the mob is about loyalty, respect, and proving you are worthy of this family. There are certain rules you have to abide by in order to work your way up and be "made." Tommy DeVito (Joe Pesci) represents this perfectly. He is quick to start a fight, or draw his gun if he feels that he is being disrespected. Later on in the film, his fate is realized when revenge is taken out on him. This movie is based on the actual events of Henry Hill (Ray Liotta). In the first half of the movie, you are introduced to Henry, and how he became entangled with the mob. He always knew he was meant to be a part of this life. Being a gangster meant that you were a part of a family, and belonged to this elite group that would forever look out for you, as long as you remained true to them. A gangster is the embodiment of masculinity. You have money and women at your disposal and no one would ever mess with you, because you are a "tough guy". Who wouldn't want that?
It's been said that too much of something can become problematic. The second half of the film you witness Henry's downfall. He leads a double life. He has a wife, Karen (Lorraine Bracco) and children at home, and girlfriends on the side. One girlfriend in particular, Sandy (Debi Mazar) helps him with his new business of dealing and selling cocaine. He was never satisfied. He knew that his involvement could compromise his relationships with Karen and with the mob, especially his boss Pauly Cicero (Paul Sorvino). This didn't stop him, he thought he could handle it. He was organized, after all that is what the mob is all about, organized crime.
The music and the dialogue that was chosen, added authenticity to the film. The music was chosen based on the time period the scenes were set in. In Henry's earlier life you heard songs by Tony Bennet, and The Cleftones. In his later life you heard songs by The Rolling Stones and The Who. Music provided transitions between certain scenes, specifically, when Henry was a teenager and he walked out of the court room. He was met by all of the members of the mob cheering for him. He had learned a valuable lesson, you don't ever snitch and you keep your mouth shut. The frame freezes, music begins to play, and you have now jumped several years into 1963.
The dialogue was what you would expect to hear from a mobster. Much of the great dialogue was discovered through rehearsals, where Scorsese let his actors roam free, then wrote into the script many of the lines they came up with (admin, 2013). The use of voice over narration was crucial to the tone of the film. Without it, the movie would not be what it is. It was essential for Henry to fill in the background information needed in order to understand what was happening in the story.
If you want to get the best idea of what life is like as gangster in the mob, this the movie to watch.
References admin. (2013, June 4). ScirptShadow Screen writing and Screenplay Reviews. Retrieved from scriptshadow.net: http://scriptshadow.net/10- screen writing-tips-you-can-learn-from-goodfellas