Summary
As far back as I can remember, I’ve always wanted to be a gangster…
My Thoughts
Goodfellas is Martin Scorsese's crowning jewel of achievement according to some, and it is arguably one of his best films, and most well received films as well. On top of being very successful financially, the film has gone down in history as one of if not the best film of the gangster genre, of which Scorsese has always ruled, he simply gave the crown right back to himself. Goodfellas is the incredible true and violent tale of Henry Hill (Ray Liotta, Observe and Report), who becomes a gangster at a very young age and rises to the top of the chain in a criminal career spanning over twenty years, until his cocaine addiction and some bad moves which brought his inevitable downfall. Despite this not being my personal favorite Scorsese picture, I still recognize it as being one of the best, full of gritty dialogue and even grittier characters, the whole film oozes with style, from the technical camera work to the violent underground story, Goodfellas is a testament to a director who has never lost his touch in providing entertaining, complicated and thought provoking films.
Almost thirty years after it's release, Goodfellas still feels as fresh and new as it did during its theatrical run, Martin Scorsese is no stranger in traversing the complicated structure and society of underground gangster life, and he lays all of his cards out for this epic story of power and loss of power, double crossing, and his signature visceral violence between the mobsters. There's no slow burn in this one, from the moment the cold open hits the screen, the audience is met with a scene of brutal violence as three gangsters murder a man in the back of a car, with Henry Hill narrating over it saying, "as far back as I can remember, I’ve always wanted to be a gangster." This sets the whole film into play and we are introduced to the world in a wonderful, provocative way.
There's a shot when Henry Hill is first introduced to his new family of gangsters in one of the clubs they run, it's entirely a POV shot all done in one take, as a voice over tells the audience exactly who it is that Hill is meeting, each character is introduced, who then turn to Hill and give their regards and it goes on for about eight different mobsters. It's both technically impressive and narratively ambitious, it's one of many long tracking shots in the film, each one being more technical than the last, but this one really stuck out to me, as it's such a personal camera shot as well. Not only does Scorsese want the protagonist to meet his new surrounding family, but he also invites us, the audience to meet them up close and personal too, all without breaking the fourth wall, it's that sort of intimacy that Scorsese brings to this world that sets it apart from anything else he's done from this point in time, and sets it apart from anything else in the genre.
One of the most remarkable things about Goodfellas is that despite its imposing length at nearly two and a half hours, it absolutely flies by, every second of every scene is necessary, there's no frills or filler, Scorsese draws you in with his signature violence, and never let's go. The sheer scope of this is impressive, it tackles nearly two decades of these gangsters misdealing and being above the law, the amount of power they continually get as the years go on, and the eventual loss of that power as the authorities close in, turning members of the mob into rats. One iconic scene shows Tommy Devito (Joe Pesci, Casino) harassing a bar boy over and over again, until the boy eventually has enough and tells Tommy to "f*ck himself" to which his partner Jimmy (Robert De Niro, Taxi Driver) laughs and tries to keep Tommy's lose temper under control, but what was said was said and Tommy blasts the boy multiple times killing him instantly. That's just one example of Goodfellas shocking violence, as there's plenty more where that came from, showcasing just how much power these underground criminals harbored.
This film never lets the audience out of its blood soaked grips, especially during the nail biting conclusion of double crossing and rat outs. And while it's hard for me to pick out one performance as the best (Pesci if I absolutely had to choose) I think all three of leads do an astounding job at creating a real fully realized world, playing off of each others chemistry, bringing out the likeness of their characters with both humor and tragedy, not exactly paying homage to their real life counterparts but accurately portraying who these characters were during their reign. Ray Liotta isn’t exactly the greatest talent in the game, but under the guided direction of Martin Scorsese he is able to immerse himself into Henry Hill, this is especially seen during the downfall between him and his wife Karen (Lorraine Bracco) as they spew and spat intensely at each other until the inevitable. Goodfellas (like all of Scorsese films) doesn't glorify the violence it's showing, rather it's telling an important message with it, just how much power is too much power and how far are people willing to take theirs.
Overall Goodfellas is one of (if not the) the best movies that Martin Scorsese has made, and the best of the gangster genre. Every frame of this movie is used to its benefit, never skimping out on details, spanning across two decades of crime, the scope is immense, but the ambitions of the filmmakers and the cast makes it all possible and create an absorbing, violent gangster thriller. The performances are all led by actors at the top of their game, Joe Pesci especially giving a manic, schizophrenic performance as a mob boss under too much pressure, holding too much power. And ultimately that's what Goodfellas is, it's a morality tale of absolute power corrupts absolutely. The technicality of the camerawork furthers the draw and appeal of this gritty film, bringing the setting and characters together, until the sobering concluding words fill the screen and the credits roll. Goodfellas is quintessential filmmaking at its finest, and one that has and will stand the test of time.
I give Goodfellas 5 stars out of 5
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