"As far back as I can remember, I always wanted to be a gangster"

Rating: 8/10 (10 August 2012)

These are among the first words spoken by Henry Hill (Ray Liotta) in Martin Scorsese's modern classic "GoodFellas". The film chronicles Hill's career in the mob through 25 turbulent years that see him living the high life for a while until the occupational hazards of a life of crime start to catch up with him.
The story is based on the book "Wiseguy" by Nicholas Pileggi, who also wrote the book upon which "Casino" was based. We're invited into the underworld of crime by a narrator who invests the story with credibility. Although glamorous at times, the movie pulls no punches when it comes to violence. Such is as it should be, in the interests of authenticity.
The cast leaves little to be desired. Ray Liotta was a relative newcomer at the time but his portrayal of Henry Hill is so engaging that it makes it easy to root for the bad guys. Robert De Niro & Joe Pesci, who previously teamed up to great effect in Scorsese's "Raging Bull", shared the screen again here. Pesci of course went on to win the Oscar for his downright frightening portrayal of volatile gangster Tommy DeVito, while De Niro's performance was more understated but no less impressive. Lorraine Bracco was a bit of a weak link in my opinion but she did garner some attention for her performance at the time. Beyond the stars, Frank Vincent & Paul Sorvino are especially memorable while a handful of others also make an impression with the limited amount of screen time they have to work with.
In technical terms, "GoodFellas" is practically flawless. Scorsese's direction is impeccable and his employment of popular music shows great taste and ingenuity. The cinematography of Michael Ballhaus is always attractive and the film was expertly assembled by Scorsese's longtime editor Thelma Schoonmaker. The sets and costume design also deserve high praise for authenticity.
Ultimately, "GoodFellas" certainly must rank as one of the greatest gangster movies of all time. There are countless memorable sights and sounds contained within the film's 146 minutes. That being said, I don't think it's quite as good as "The Godfather" due to some minor imperfections. Still, it's a must for any discerning movie fan.