One of the great mob movies

Rating: 10/10 (5 August 2019)

This film tells the story of Irish/Italian mobster Henry Hill; from the early days when he worked for mobsters as a teenager in the 1950s, through the sixties and seventies to his arrest in the eighties. We see the ease with which he slips into this world; the rewards and dangers it brings. During this time he works with fellow mobsters James Conway and the psychotic Tommy DeVito; he also marries Karen. While Henry isn't a killer he isn't unaware of the violent side of their business.
This is often described as the greatest mob movie; I can't say that but only because there are other very well-known mob movies that I have yet to see. The story is gripping from start to finish; there are moments of humour which frequently turn to extreme danger in the blink of an eye; this is usually due to Tommy's hair-trigger temper. The violence is usually sudden and bloody; as a character points out they don't waste time talking before they waste somebody. The cast is brilliant; Joe Pesci stands out as Tommy, it is hardly surprising that he picked up an Oscar. Ray Liotta and Robert De Niro are great as Henry and James; also particularly notable are Lorraine Bracco as Karen Hill and Paul Sorvino as "Paulie" Cicero, the mobster Henry works for. Overall I'd say that this film is a must see for fans of the genre.