Goodfellas

Rating: 7/10 (4 August 2007)

I have been looking at the top 100 movies list of IMDb and it is becoming so disappointing. The top 6 movies are of crime, murder, action and mafia. Casablanca is the only movie that is of its own category standing out alone at 7th place; but this time I at looking at GoodFellas at spot 17 - all time great movies.
The story is based on true events and characters from a novel named "Wise Guy" written by crime reporter Nicholos Pileggi. It is about this boy Henry Hill born (Ray Liotta) in 1943 in a poor working class family who wanted to be in a gang since his boyhood because that gave him freedom, money, and respect from people. He joins hands with Tommy DeVito (Joe Pesci) and Jimmy Conway (Robert De Niro). This trio starts by hijacking, stealing and selling goods from huge truck loads. Once arrested Hill starts dealing in drugs in prison and when out continues to do so. In the end, with difficult times, of police after him, with new enemies and having difficult times with his wife Karen (Lorriane Bracco)  he decides to be an informant to avoid prison sentence and gives in most of his gangster friends  good fellows! The movie is directed by Martin Scorsese, who like Tarantino has earned his reputation with cold blooded killing of people and mafia movies. He directs the movie well in all departments and combines with ample social, family and drama scenes to balance the dark narrative.
All the actors have acted well, but the best in the lot is Joe Pesci who has played the weird cranky character of Tommy with such conviction that it should be remembered just for its sheer portrayal of characteristics. Ray Liotta who gets to play the central character is okay and his career till date shows that he has lost himself into mundane small roles. Robert De Niro is as good as ever and shows his brilliant insight to understanding deep dark characters  he loves to play.
The movie progresses from 1950 till 1980s and Martin captures all those eras with much ease and details.
Even though his movie is in the top 20 list - lately, seeing many of these mafia movies  I do not feel that much excited. It has become routine and mundane for me to watch the cold killings, glorifying killings, blood everywhere  showing crazy characters who pull out gun at any point to shoot someone. I feel sick at times for the world and the good directors who have not got over showing it on big screen.
Just a trivia, Henry Hill is still alive but suffering depression and fighting alcoholism and spends most of his time in rehab centers.
(Stars 7 out of 10)