Goodfellas is a gripping tale of Mafia life.

Rating: Null/10 (17 July 2008)

Goodfellas is a gripping tale of Mafia life. The story is told from the point of view of Henry Hill (Ray Liotta), a young man coming of age as a gangster in Brooklyn New York during the 1950's. The film also stars Jimmy "The Gent" (Robert Deniro), and the wise cracking gangster Tommy (Joe Pesci). and Henry's wife, Karen (Lorraine Bracco) His hardworking parents make meager but honest living. Henry does not want to be like his parents. He hates the idea of having to break his back working a 9 to 5 job everyday. Instead, he observes and is mesmerized by the wise guys he sees conducting business and socializing across the street at the neighborhood cab stand. To Henry, these gangsters have easy lives. He finds the Mafia culture is intriguing. Henry is seduced by the underworld and decides it is his way to achieve financial freedom. Henry joins the Mafia and begins to enjoy his life as a career criminal. During the course of the film, Goodfellas shows that the Mafia (organization) is an alluring trap from which no one can escape. The protagonist Henry is mentally trapped from the start of his criminal career. When Henry learns that because he is not full blooded Italian, he will never is promoted to the rank of "boss". He will always be an employee. Henry never disputes the rule He just accepts it and continues to be a good "earner". Similar to a slave after the Civil War, Henry too is conditioned to believe he needs the support of the organization (slave master) to survive and chooses not to leave. Even after he witnesses his boy hood pal, Tommy (Joe Pecsi) savagely murder the boss of another family, Henry is drawn to the romance and excitement of the criminal world. To him this is a grimy but necessary part of doing business in the Mob. After taking part in the cover up, Henry is physically and mentally trapped. He can not and does not want to get out of the Mafia. He helps dispose of the body and keeps his mouth shut. In both of these scenes, the use of the extreme close up mixed with low angle and eye-level shots make the audience feel like they are in the scenes with the characters. The camera pans quickly from side to side making the viewers feel as if they are spinning or whipping their heads from side to side as not to miss a single part of the action.
In an effort to assert his independence, and escape from the Mafia, Henry begins selling drugs. This step toward independence is his ultimate trap. In this scene, Henry is like a rat in a maze trying to find his way out. The audience takes this wild ride with him. While is fixing family dinner and preparing his babysitter to transport cocaine on a commercial flight Henry realizes that he has forgotten a key ingredient for his marinara sauce. He makes a run to the grocery store. While driving he notices that Federal agents are flying helicopters over his car. Henry narrates rapidly during this scene. Aerial shots give a birds-eye view and make it seem as if the helicopters are right on top of Henry's car. Extreme close up shots show a wild eyed Henry who is high on coke and sweating porously. The camera pans horizontally. Rapidly moving the action in the scene and lending to Henry's manic behavior. This time Henry is tired of being trapped and chooses to escape. Finally, Henry is tired of running. Like a hamster in a wheel he runs only to end where he started. Henry's narrative relies heavily on wise guy humor. It is lighthearted in spite of the dark subject. This enables the audience to sympathize with a relatively weak protagonist. Scorsese never has Henry kill anyone. This allows him to be vulnerable and sensitive. Henry is never really reformed or sorry for the wrong he has done. But, in the end the audience sees him as a guy just trying to succeed in life despite being bound by his circumstances.
Goodfellas is similar to Wall Street. Bud Fox (Charlie Sheen) and Henry Hill are likable guys who fall victim to their environments. Both men aspire be great. Both believe that this may be achieved through wealth. They become seduced and trapped by the "good life". This leads to their downfall.