What the mafia really is about

Rating: 10/10 (23 August 2013)

Most mafia movies don't really capture what the real life mafia is truly about.... simply a group of sociopaths who are obsessed with money, and who have found a way to make money by being sociopaths.
This movie is the real thing.
I love the Godfather trilogy, but its explanation of how you get to be the Don of a mafia family -- by going up against the local crime boss -- is ludicrous. Goodfellas shows you the way it really works: the way you become a mafioso is by sucking up to crime bosses, to the point that you will do anything they tell you to do. If they tell you to fetch, you fetch.
Joe Pesci's portrayal is off the charts, one of the greatest movie performances ever, and his "you think I'm funny" is one of the greatest scenes in all of movie history.
Paul Sorvino is brilliant as Paul Cicero.
Lorraine Bracco's performance was a revelation.
Robert DeNiro and Ray Liotta are awesome.