Scorsese's masterpiece stands the test of time

Rating: 10/10 (24 July 2016)

Martin Scorsese's unflinching portrayal of life in the mafia is a rightly acclaimed epic, at times funny, depressing but most of all frightening, all the more so because it's based on a true story. Basically it's the story of Ray Liotta's character's rise and fall in the mafia, and the way his relationships change with the various figures there as times come and go.
The acting is what makes this film so engaging, and Ray Liotta excels as the bright young man who eventually becomes a drug addict. His transformation is brilliant as he ages thirty years and the acting choice couldn't have been better. Robert De Niro is on hand to deliver some real class to the proceedings too, and he's as good as he ever was as the seemingly nice but deadly Jimmy. However Joe Pesci steals the overacting awards with his portrayal of the foul-mouthed psychotic Tommy, who spends the film shooting and beating those who offend him. Pesci is both funny and frightening as a maniac who doesn't think twice about killing people, and his kinetic performance bursts off the screen in a blaze of fury. The rest of the cast, including Liotta's wife and Paul Sorvino, also put in well-judged and realistic performances.
While some people may be put off by the long running length, this is engrossing viewing, as the film charts the various gruesome demises of unfortunate characters (the opening body in the boot being a standout in sheer brutality), Liotta's growing paranoia (the helicopter scenes are memorable) and eventual capture, and the characters' changing loyalties. GOODFELLAS was really the final word about gangster life, at least until CASINO came along.