Review of GoodFellas (1990) by Jeff B — 26 Aug 2015

A horrific and humorous hunk in a designer suit, Martin Scorsese's mafia masterstroke channels a lifestyle that many Americans long thought to be bunko and makes it tangibly sexy and scary at the same time. It's hard to imagine a world without Goodfellas - its savvy and stylish mob strands running deep through everything from The Sopranos (which winningly hijacked a number of Scorsese's actors) to The Simpsons (a gangster character named Louie bears such a striking resemblance to Frankie Carbone that actor Frank Silvero sued). As far back as you can remember, this is what mob films looked like - brutish, bold and somehow funny to boot. Spanning 30 years in its 2 plus hours, the film is based on a real memoir (Nicholas Pileggi's Wise Guys, which tells the story of Henry Hill) and details a very real crime (the 1978 Lufthansa Heist) but it purposely glamorizes a villainous way of life only to beat it against the rocks with the cold hard truth ... though you'd probably still take that risk if it got backed with such a rocking doo-wopped soundtrack.

In this R-rated crime saga now celebrating its 25th anniversary, Henry Hill (Liotta) and his associates (De Niro, Joe Pesci, Paul Sorvino) work their way up through the mafia hierarchy to pull off one of the biggest cash heists in U.S. history.

The performances ground audiences, however, establishing real persons that never feel like characters. Joe Pesci rightly won the Oscar for Best Supporting Actor, but there's not a bad turn in the bunch. Less showy, Paul Sorvino's sedate steeliness as a mafia chieftain proves every bit as Oscar worthy. Sitting atop Scorsese's ridiculously accomplished CV, Goodfellas rivals Taxi Driver and Raging Bull as the legendary director's most stylish and standout work to date.

Bottom line: Mobbed Up.