"As far back as I can remember I always wanted to be a gangster." - Henry Hill

Rating: 10/10 (21 July 2005)

# 1 Film of 1990
There are numerous amounts of fantastic movies out there, but the special ones are few and far between. One of the most special motion pictures ever created was a film that combined brutal and painfully realistic violence, grittiness, a great composition of the music of 60s, 70s and 80s, a compelling storyline, authentic dialogue, incendiary narrative storytelling and a hell of a lot style. It was known as 'GoodFellas', veteran filmmaker Martin Scorsese's extraordinary mob film, that was a landmark in cinema because it superseded 'The Godfather', in my opinion. Many people agree 'GoodFellas' outranks 'Godfather' but many disagree also. In a nutshell, 'The Godfather' is what started it all, it's a stylish, super-cool Oscar-Winner with fantastic acting but 'GoodFellas' paints a more updated portrait of life in organized crime, and unlike 'Godfather' shows the severe consequences and results that come with being a 'wise guy'. 'GoodFellas' is an amazing movie that will no doubt impress you if you take the time to view it.
The film begins with a grown-up Hill riding in a car with two other mob associates, the slick, cool and smooth spoken Jimmy Conway (Robert DeNiro) and the psychopathic and violent mental midget Tommy DeVito (Joe Pesci - in his Academy Award- winning role.) It's late at night and both look exhausted and they hear a thumping in the bank of the trunk and wonder what is going on. They pull of to the side of the road, open the trunk to reveal a older gentleman severely beaten up and bloody pleading, 'please, don't. please.' Tommy then takes a butcher knife and continues to aggressively stab him while Jimmy shoots him several times with a revolver. They close the trunk and the camera pans to Hill's face and he narrates, 'As far back as I can remember I always wanted to be a gangster.'. After that moment, viewing the rented DVD from Blockbuster, I knew I was in for a powerful, realistic, gritty but astonishing motion picture.
The dark and beautifully shot feature 'GoodFellas' follows the true story of mob associate Henry Hill (Ray Liotta) and his rags-to-riches tale starting as a poor fresh-faced Irish-Italian kid in slums of Brooklyn running numbers for low-level hoods to working along side of major mob players. Hill was a boy obsessed with how the mafia worked and like most kids dreamed of being an astronaut, fireman, or president of the United States, he dreamed of being a wise guy. The movie then follows Hill's live in the mob until the 80s. I can't really tell you too much without giving the film away, but I can tell you he encounters interesting situations and the movie never ceases to be wild and entertaining. It's definitely the best mafia film ever made.
There are many things to praise about Scorsese's most talked about motion picture 'GoodFellas'. First of all is the acting. All the performers, every one of them, are at the top of their game. Ray Liotta gives a strong performance as the film's narrator and main character, Henry Hill, while Robert DeNiro gives an absolutely riveting performance out-shining Liotta in almost every scene they share. It's a shame DeNiro wasn't nominated for an Oscar for the wonderful job he did in 'GoodFellas'. Lorraine Bracco impresses as Liotta's sassy but ultimately typical Italian-mob wife, while Joe Pesci is extraordinary and ferocious in his scene-stealing role as the blood-hungry and crazy paisan, Tommy DeVito, whom everyone is afraid of. Paul Sorvino rounds out the leading cast as the tough but quiet mob boss, while the film is packed with small roles played by such actors as Vincent Pastore, Tony Darrow, Mike Starr, Chuck Leow, Tony Sirico, Henny Youngman, Frank Vincent, Frank Sivero and Samuel L. Jackson. Martin Scorsese provides direction so brilliant you really can't put it into words, that should have won him the 'Best Director' Oscar at the 1991 Academy Awards Ceremony. Scorsese and Nicholas Pilleggi (who wrote the novel which 'GoodFellas' is based upon) provide one of the richest and finest screenplays ever created, and Thelma Schoonmaker provides marvelous editing.
There are really no dull parts about this tough and brutal but beautiful and brilliant masterpiece from one of our generations best filmmakers, Martin Scorsese. If you haven't already and don't mind a little grit (actually a lot of grit) make it a mission to drive to Blockbuster and rent this movie on DVD. 'GoodFellas' is one of the best and most memorable films ever made. I think you'll enjoy it. Grade: A
MADE MY TOP 300 LIST AT # 13