The Best Gangster Movie Ever Made Bar None

Rating: 10/10 (22 February 2005)

'Goodfellas', alongside 'Pulp Fiction' stands as my all time favorite film. Based on Nicolas Pillegi's outstanding novel the screenplay is intelligent and thrilling and gives credence to each performer. In crime movies the female leads (if any) are whiny and one dimensional but Lorraine Bracco's Oscar nominated perfromance is brilliant and her character is as dimensional as Henry (a slightly disappointing Ray Liotta, he rushes the voice-over and much of his dialogue). Jimmy (forget Raging Bull, this is DeNiro's greatest performance)Conway is pure genius and Pesci is great as the plain insane Tommy DeVito.
Scorcese directs with a fast moving and in your face visual style and punctuates the soundtrack with some of the best rock/pop songs of the sixties and seventies, ending with Sid Viscous's 'My Way' was a stroke of genius and putting 'Down Below the Ocean' over the Batt's murder was insane but it worked because it goes against the grain.
People say the Godfather is the greatest crime movie ever and perhaps they are right. But I have to disagree, 'Goodfellas' is more energetic more exciting and most importantly more FUN than the dreary, boring Godfather's.
A flat out, awe inspiring, no-one will ever make a film as good as this again MASTERPIECE.
10/10