The Best from the Best

Rating: 10/10 (1 February 2011)

Christmas. The time of year where hearing one more carol or watching one more commercial for frozen ham will surely send anyone over the edge. It's also the time that almost every major film studio tries their hand at making a quick buck by releasing some generic, light- hearted holiday movie you've probably seen in some form already. I don't care for these films at all, which is why I have all the more reason to thank Fox Classics for their Spotlight On Scorsese Week, which ended last Friday with what is, in my opinion, the greatest film ever made by the greatest filmmaker alive today.
Goodfellas is the remarkably true story of Henry Hill (Ray Liotta), a young boy whose imagination is captured by the prospect of being a gangster. Fast forward thirteen years, and Henry has befriended local legends Jimmy Conway (Robert De Niro) and Tommy DeVito (Joe Pesci, in an Oscar-winning performance) as part of the mafia. The rest of the film plays out as a rise-and-fall story as old as the Roman Empire, as Henry's addiction to the good life slowly consumes him and his wife Karen (Lorraine Bracco, whose role in this film led to her big break as Jen Melfi in The Sopranos).
Scorsese's two most recent feature films (Shutter Island and The Departed), while being quality efforts in their own right, are very different to his career-shaping masterpieces. They follow a structured plot, whereas his earlier movies tended to focus on a single character (or two) and a series of key moments in their existence, and what impact they had on the character's mental state or, indeed, life (think Taxi Driver, Raging Bull and Casino). Goodfellas follows the same structure, progressing in a chronological fashion but only showing events worth documenting. It makes the film feel like less of a narrative and more of a biopic, but certainly dosen't detract from the entertainment.
Pesci is almost unanimously considered the standout, while the smaller-than-expected role played by De Niro makes one forget just how good an actor he really is. In fact, the very young Liotta almost seems overshadowed by his co-stars, despite being the lead actor. That is until the final Act, where he steals the show as a coked-up Henry, trying to get through the hectic day of a mobster while the rest of his life appears to crumble around him. His overt aggression and deep-seated paranoia contribute to his performance being the most realistic and poignant depiction of a person under the influence ever seen on film.
Goodfellas consists of some of the most inspired cinematography and editing ever to be seen. Indeed, what makes the use of the camera such a delight to watch is that it is almost a character in itself, so much does it reflect the tone of each scene. When Henry is in a rush to get his date back home, the film cuts from point A to point B showing nothing in between, to maintain an urgent pace. When he takes Karen to the Copacabana for the first time, the camera follows her so that the viewer feels the same sense of unfamiliarity and surprise at just how good Henry's life is as she does.
Finally, an excellent soundtrack perfectly compliments Henry's non-diegetic voice-over. Music by Tony Bennett, The Rolling Stones, Dean Martin, Donovan, Cream, Muddy Waters, The Who and Sid Vicious (and that's just scratching the surface) make enjoyable scenes memorable, and memorable scenes legendary. And while Goodfellas doesn't exactly promote peace on Earth and goodwill to your fellow man, I'll take it over The Search for Santa Paws any day of the festive season.
*There's nothing I love more than a bit of feedback, good or bad. So drop me a line on jnatsis@iprimus.com.au and let me know what you thought of my review.*