Today’s quick review: Goodfellas. Henry Hill (Ray Liotta), an up-and-coming gangster, enjoys everything about his criminal lifestyle: the money, the respect, the sense of family. His two partners, Jimmy Conway (Robert De Niro) and Tommy DeVito (Joe Pesci), are good at what they do, and together the trio are poised for success. But nothing in crime is ever certain, and a few bad breaks threaten to destroy everything they have achieved.
Goodfellas is a crime drama from director Martin Scorsese. Based on a true story, Goodfellas follows Henry Hill through a lifetime of involvement in the mafia, from his days parking cars for the neighborhood boss to his most ambitious crimes to his most desperate moments. Top-notch acting, smart direction, and solid writing combine to make Goodfellas one of the better biographical crime dramas around.
Goodfellas follows the pattern of Scorsese’s other films in terms of format and presentation. Shared elements such as troubled marriages, drug abuse, and criminal empires teetering on the brink of collapse give the film some common ground with Casino and The Wolf of Wall Street. The story follows the cadence of real life rather than a movie plot, and Ray Liotta’s helpful narration colors in the background details of Henry Hill’s remarkable life.
The movie makes good use of its three talented leads. Ray Liotta stars as Henry Hill, a loyal member of the mob and the story’s protagonist. Robert De Niro plays his friend and mentor Jimmy Conway, a successful gangster willing to take risks to get ahead. Joe Pesci rounds out the trio as Tommy DeVito, a man with a violent temper that earns him as much power as trouble. The relationship between the three gives the movie its core.
One of the key themes of the film is how criminal behavior becomes commonplace. Henry begins his criminal career at a young age, and soon he finds himself intimidating people for protection money, planning robberies, and disposing of bodies. Even his wife Karen (Lorraine Bracco), an otherwise ordinary woman, quickly adjusts to the lifestyle. But the normalcy of it all leads to overconfidence, mistakes, and a gradual breakdown in the ties of loyalty.
Goodfellas has the same issues as Scorsese’s other biographical films. Though not overly long, Goodfellas covers a lot of ground in summary fashion. The story is told as much as it is shown, insulating the viewer from the emotional impact of its events, while the ebb and flow of real life give the movie several small story arcs rather than one large one. These are not bad decisions per se, but viewers used to more fictionalized drama will find them odd.
Watch Goodfellas when you are in the mood for a well-executed crime drama in a similar vein as Casino or Blow. Fans of Scorsese’s other work will get a lot out of Goodfellas, while new viewers will appreciate its craftsmanship and compelling subject matter. Skip it if you dislike biographical dramas or if you are sensitive to violence.
8.7 out of 10 on IMDB. I give it a 7.5 for great acting and an interesting look into the world of organized crime.