A Thoroughly Investigated, Extensively Detailed & Wickedly Amusing Crime Opus

Rating: Null/10 (29 September 2018)

An extensively investigated, thoroughly detailed & wickedly amusing crime opus that's stylishly directed & brilliantly acted, Goodfellas is considered by some to be an even better crime drama than Francis Ford Coppola's The Godfather and while I don't share the same sentiment, I don't deny its influence & impact on the films that followed into its footsteps.
Goodfellas chronicles the rise & fall of mob associate Henry Hill & his friends from the 1950s to 1980s. The story follows his journey in the mafia world, covering his relationship with his wife and his two associates Jimmy Conway & Tommy DeVito, as the trio work their way up through the mob hierarchy, and culminates with the events that lead to their eventual downfall.
Directed by Martin Scorsese, the film begins in the middle and then work its way around it before coming full circle in the end, thus taking us on a riotous journey that's never tiring. The dialogues are sharp & piercing, the chemistry between the trio has a genuine quality & a sense of brotherhood to it. The violence is brutal & unflinching, and the characters are lively & compelling.
The filmmaking technicalities are handled really well, giving its images a frenzied vibe as if things may explode anytime without warning, and they do on multiple occasions. Also notable is the neat cinematography that makes its apt set pieces stand out. But the story as a whole still feels longer than it needed to be, and its 145 minutes runtime is severely felt during the second half.
Coming to the performances, Goodfellas features a reliable cast in Robert De Niro, Joe Pesci & Ray Liotta, with Pesci stealing the show with a wild, deranged act that overshadows all in his vicinity. Liotta is in as Henry Hill and delivers an impressive lead show that only gets better with time. De Niro chips in with an assured input yet he feels somewhat under-utilised. Lorraine Bracco & Paul Sorvino also provide excellent support and leave a lasting impression of their own.
On an overall scale, Goodfellas captures the glamorous & grisly side of organised crime with finesse and offers a consistently thrilling ride to finish as a fascinating example of its genre. The story is at its best when the screen is shared by the trio but loses steam when it focuses on their individual lives. Riveting at first, the film ends up running a tad too long for me and the interest is already lost by the time it nears its conclusion. A well-researched account of a real-life story, Goodfellas is admirable in its own ways but to rank it alongside The Godfather is pure lunacy.