An American Classic

Rating: 10/10 (9 February 2012)

Goodfellas achieves stunning success where most gangster films fail; it balances the reality of mob violence and thuggery with emotion and charm. Based on true events, Martin Scorsese's masterpiece depicts the life and times of a group of Mafiosos over the course of several decades. The film's centerpiece is Henry Hill, played by a never better Ray Liotta. Hill grew up desperate to become a gangster, but remains on the outside looking in due to his half-Irish heritage. Still, he manages to carve out quite a niche for himself in the "family," thanks to his mobbed-up buddies, played by Oscar winners Robert DeNiro and Joe Pesci. After years of friendship and keeping each other's secrets, Hill finds himself boxed in as the heat turns up, leaving him with some difficult decisions to make. Aside from the Godfather film series and the Sopranos television series, you won't find a more accurate portrayal of the New York Mafia. The direction and production are flawless, as are the performances, including bit roles that often steal the scene. If you haven't seen it, shame on you. Yes, it's violent (the opening scene involves a brutal stabbing of an already-shot victim), but the acting and the story itself are more than enough to justify a viewing, even for the squeamish.