Can A Sick Film Be A Good One, too? I Guess So.

Rating: 9/10 (12 January 2007)

Sad to say, almost everyone I know - at least, the males - who has seen this movie likes it very much. I enjoy it, too. I say "sad" because it's a sick film in many ways. Also, when you have 240-plus f-words in a movie, I mean, come on! In that respect alone, I'm embarrassed to say this movie is part of my collection. That's simply because it's a fascinating story, for the full 145 minutes.
This is a rough film, to say the least. It's not just the language; there are some brutally- violent parts. Joe Pesci's "Tommy DeVito" seems to be involved with some of the worst of that violence Supposedly, the movie is a based on a true story but how much of this is true, who knows? It certainly provides a vivid portrait of Mafia life in New York City. I really loved the narration by Ray Liotta - who doesn't? - and enjoyed the music in here. Most people comment about the music; it's a good soundtrack. Pesci, Liotta, Robert De Niro and Paul Sorvino all make for extremely interesting gangster characters.
With all the language, which includes at least 15 usages of the Lord's name in vain and some subtle religious cheap shots (not surprising considering who directed the film), the gory spots this film gets a little too rough-edged at times. I've watched thousands of crime movies, and this gets to be a little much here and there but if none of the above offends you, you're in for a treat with an intense crime story that is very watchable.