True gangster saga packs a wallop...

Rating: 7/10 (1 December 2007)

Based on a true story, Martin Scorsese turns GOODFELLAS into an engrossing gangster saga that provides a lot of intense actors with some meaty acting roles--among them, RAY LIOTTA ("I always wanted to be a gangster"), JOE PESCI, ROBERT DeNIRO, LORRAINE BRACCO and PAUL SORVINO.
The strong narrative follows the career of a youth, Henry Hill (RAY LIOTTA), an Irish lad living in a neighborhood ruled by the Italian Mafia who wants the easy life of crime and money and fancy cars and life in the fast lane. He enjoys the life of crime until it threatens to jeopardize the security of the life he has as a married man.
It's a film very similar in theme to "The Godfather", but not quite up to that level of achievement. RAY LIOTTA has never gotten enough credit for his leading role while most of the acting awards went to JOE PESCI as the gun happy hood with an explosive temperament in an Oscar-winning supporting role.
If you like this sort of thing, this will be your ticket. Some of the scenes have a strong impact with startling realism as far as the violence goes, and it moves smoothly toward a satisfactory "crime does not pay" conclusion. All of the performances are first rate and there's seldom a dull moment thanks to a soundtrack that includes a lot of pop songs of the period.