Review of GoodFellas (1990) by Alasdair B — 29 Jun 2015

As a Martin Scorsese admirer, it was a dreadful shame that I hadn't seen one of the films he's best known for. Gangster films were huge in the 80's-90's, particularly the Godfather trilogy. Scorsese has produced a few iconic ganster films. This film reminded me why I love his films. "Goodfellas" is brilliantly directed by Martin Scorsese. The cast includes Ray Liotta, Robert De Niro, Joe Pesci, and Paul Sorvino.

Henry Hill (Liotta) was just a kid when he got involved with Paul and his crew. Henry always dreamt of becoming a gangster. Paul and his crew welcomed the young man into the family, and he assisted them in distributing their money. After they get busted, Henry renains loyal to his family, and it stays that way for years. Things go awry when Tommy (Pesci) and Jimmy (De Niro) start killing more and more, making their way to the top.

Without a doubt, this film is known for its performances. Ray Liotta is a wonderful actor, and he's best known for this film. Liotta gives a great performance. He's absolute batshit crazy at times, and despite a few moments of overdoing it, Liotta handles his character well. Henry is crazy, but no ones more crazy than Tommy. Many will recognize him as the mean guy from Home Alone, and Pesci is really mean in this film. He's an absolute psychopath, and Pesci-as you can tell-is having a blast playing him. Finally, Robert De Niro also gives a great performance. De Niro has worked with Scorsese several times, most notably in Taxi Driver. All of the performances are superb, and the cast works perfectly together. There is a scene in the film in which they're all sitting around a table whilst Liotta laughs his ass off. It's priceless.

Amidst the flurry of classic rock music and a fantastic score is a superb crime thriller. Goodfellas is unapologetically brutal, grotesque, and comedically charged. On paper, it's just as brilliant. The script is full to the brim of great one liners and witty dialogue. Michael Ballhaus does a brilliant job behind the camera. I'm a big supporter of using film. It looks really crisp, and the color is much richer than today's digitally shot movies.