The reality behind The Godfather

Rating: 10/10 (1 April 2013)

Both watched the film and read the book and both are amazing. In terms of accuracy they're pretty terrific, there are a few differences but they're not significant. In real life Tommy was a huge, powerful man whilst Pesci in the film is diminutive but no less terrifying. Tommy wasn't shot in the face so his family couldn't have an open coffin as featured in the film, he just disappeared and was never seen again (which is exactly what happened to his girlfriend a short time later). The famous 'funny how?' story was not actually something which happened to Henry Hill but was something which really did happen to Joe Pesci whilst he was working as a waiter for some genuine Mafioso.
Tremendous performances all around, De Niro his customary excellent, a career making turn from both Ray Liotta and Loraine Brocco and did you spot a then unknown Samuel L Jackson as Stacks? In many ways though it's Pesci who dominates, prior to this he was largely known as a comic actor with Home Alone and Lethal Weapon 2, such a small guy but just full of unbelievable aggressiveness, he makes you shudder.
What I really like about it is that it shows you both the good side and the bad side of being a gangster. On the good side you are the 'movie-star with muscle' everything just falls into your lap and you live the life of Reilly, even when you go to prison you're treated special. On the bad side you have to do things like dig up the rotting corpses of other gangsters you've murdered and rebury them. Keep looking over your shoulder for the police and FBI all the time. And that your friends aren't really your friends, they'll happily rat you out if they think it'll save them or slit your throat if they think there's 5 bucks in it for them ("F*ck you, pay me!")
One thing I would suggest is that if you enjoyed this you should check out 'The Big Heist' with Donald Sutherland, a TV movie starring Donald Sutherland which concentrates on Jimmy Burke.