Goodfellas

Rating: 9/10 (18 August 2008)

Not only is this movie a masterpiece in cinema history and quite possibly the most charming and honest mob movie of all time BUT it also checks all the boxes for cinematic brilliance.
Firstly, the cinematography is outstanding due to the unbeatable combination of Micheal Ballhaus and Scorsese's guiding hand that also helped shape another one of my favourite titles, The Departed. Both movies showed great camera work and a certain flare for the unique angle or unorthodox composition.
The acting is also superb with Joe Pesci delivering his boldest performance to date. He plays the role of an insecure sociopath with an unexpected charm (although he took on a similar character profile in Casino).
However the story absolutely steals the show with a captivating account of the rise and fall of small time gangster Henry Hill, in a manner only Scorsese could perfect. Admittedly I am a huge fan of the Rise and Fall (especially the fall) but this movie will intrigue and demand your full devotion to each character. The soundtrack embeds every vital moment in the movie to your memory with a classic song that subtly dictates the tone of the scene and strongly sets the atmosphere for the time period which spans over three decades. Watching a "hit" being performed by a stone cold gangster, shadowed by a soft love song in the background, can dramatically effect the way you feel about the killer.
However, an unmistakable achievement of this movie is it's ability to tell the truth unlike other famous titles such as The Godfather which shamelessly romanticises the outcome of a life on the wrong side of the law. The film never fails to engage the viewer all throughout and follows an underlying tale of how the morality of even the organised crime sector of society has its black and white patches,as well a very large grey area.
In all, Goodfellas is the benchmark of mob movies but also an all time great in movie history for its pure cinematic brilliance.