A true life mobster classic

Rating: Null/10 (29 March 2001)

For those of you who say that this is nothing like "The Godfather", you're right. "The Godfather" is about the Mob life at the top (white collar). "Goodfellas" is about Mob life at the working man's level (blue collar). Both show their home life and their working life, but are very different.
In "The Godfather" Corleone's gave the word, or in some cases, the nod to have someone whacked. In "Goodfellas" these guys were the ones who carried out the order to whack someone. So you can not really compare the two. I like the idea of watching a Mob movie and not hearing that stereotypical Italian music playing in the background. The regular music of the day is what is more believable and enjoyable, at least to me.

We are lucky to get to see DeNiro is both of these films and what a performance he gives. No surprise. Liotta is "charming" as the new kid on the mobster block. Though his character never kills, he does just about everything else. Pesci steals the show as the sick f**ker who can kill without any thought. Lorraine Bracco is stunning as Liotta's wife. It is interesting to see the two of them as they get swepted away in the muck of the underworld. She knows she should get away from this, but can't because it's kind of a turn on.
(**POSSIBLE SPOILERS**) The two best scenes for me is when the camera is following Liotta and Bracco through a restaurant from the alley to their table without a cut. All done with such a grand flow. Perfectly shot with "Then He Kissed Me" playing in the background. The other is when all those mob "buddies" start showing up dead one by one, with that erie music playing in the background. Can't think of the song, but is was terrific and terrifying at the same time. (**END OF SPOILER**)
Yes, "The Godfather" was brilliant but DO NOT rule out "Goodfellas". View it as the other side of the coin in the Mob world. Perfectly acted, scripted and shot, and with a killer soundtrack to boot. Watch it or get whacked!!