A Classic Gangster Picture

Rating: 10/10 (24 January 2007)

Martin Scorsese is one of the best filmmakers who ever lived, if not the greatest. "GoodFellas" is one of his best movies. It is energetically violent, and full of language and drug content. Does that make the film what it is? No. It is a great study of organized crime from 1955 to 1970. It is real and it is haunting.
Henry Hill (Ray Liotta) grew up in Brooklyn. As he narrates, he makes it apparent that the life he always wanted to lead was the gangster life. He lives across from a cab stand owned by some "wiseguys." Henry gets a job there, and suddenly becomes so engulfed in the life, that he misses school for months. He spends his childhood finding ways to score money, and learn the Mafia routine as taught to him by Jimmy Conway (Robert De Niro) and Paul Cicero (Paul Sorvino). He obviously gets older Hill remains a gangster, and the film is about his life growing up surrounded by violence and corruption. It is the story of how something so glamorous could be so ugly.
Ray Liotta gives the best performance of his career as Henry Hill. No other role he has had comes close to this one. Robert De Niro pulls off a fascinating job, as well. Joe Pesci plays the profane Tommy, a long time friend of Jimmy and Henry, in his Oscar-winning performance. A surprising addition to a great cast. Lorraine Bracco plays Karen, Henry's wife. She had a difficult role, considering her character's personality, but she did a great job. Paul Sorvino is superb as Cicero, and gives one of the film's best performances.
"GoodFellas" is based on a true story novel by Nicholas Pileggi. Pileggi, along with Scorsese, developed a truly amazing screenplay, that few can match with its wonderful voice-over narration and stunning dialogue.
Martin Scorsese is a truly skilled director. Not many directors can match is sense of style and darkness. Every scene is worked to utter mastery.
The film, in the end, is great. There's not much to argue about there. This film will turn viewers away with its graphic violence and language, but the film is not without its messages. Mainly about the study of how one's life can be turned inside out by the decisions he/she makes. Or redeemed by those decisions. "GoodFellas" is vibrant, alive, exciting, and raw. It is a smart look at skilled film-making. A brilliant must-see.