Murder over Cianti

Rating: Null/10 (25 April 2001)

`Goodfellas' is a story about the glamour and allure of the mafia, told with the voice of nostalgic regret by Henry Hill (Ray Liota), a self proclaimed nobody, living a safe and dreary existence in the witness protection program. Scorsese draws brilliant performances out of each and every one of his actors, scoring an Oscar nomination for Loraine Bracco (The Sopranos) and a win for Joe Pesci. Pesci shows us a glimpse into true evil as Tommy DeVito, a man so caught up in power and greed that he's lost any semblance of humanity. Liota's performance hits the mark as well. Each time a murder is committed in his presence, he has a brief moment with the camera in which he agonizes over the realization that it is just another part of the job. His understated performance somehow allows the viewer to actually sympathize with his situation. `Goodfellas' is about a family. Liotta's kids know their Don as `Uncle Pauly' and literally jump up and down with enthusiasm at the prospect of going to his place for dinner. They cook together, laugh together, and dig graves together. Don't miss it!