Quite ingenious.

Rating: 6/10 (8 January 2008)

The only thing I would bother calling a flaw is the rather unnecessary shots randomly scattered throughout (the men fighting in the opening fight, the closeup of a teacup handle, etc.) but this can easily be looked past. This is the only time Scorsese has perfectly structured a rise and fall story. It has a beginning, middle and end yet leaves parts to the imagination. It doesn't focus too much on one era (Goodfellas in the rise, Casino in the fall), yet it never feels like it cuts anything short. De Niro is simply dynamic. He covers such a range of emotions and hits everything perfectly. The "You *bleeped* my wife!" and the jail scenes are two of the best I've ever witnessed. I should also mention that this is the only time I haven't wanted to stab Joe Pesci in the head. He became too full of himself and type-cast in his later years, but in this he is just perfect. Moriarty is also heartbreaking and seductive. The score is flawless. It has a very elegant and nostalgic feel to it, which Scorsese crafted to a tee. The cinematography is some of the best ever, with the scenes flawlessly shot and put together.