Review of GoodFellas (1990) by Raphael Georg K — 06 Apr 2013

"As far as I can remember ... I always wanted to be a gangster," that phrase started this masterpiece and followed to the end. "GoodFellas" is simply (after "The GodFather") the best-mafia gangster film ever made, and this is very clear in this movie.

The story begins with Henry Hill (Ray Liotta), a young Irish living in the suburbs of New York with his family, and suddenly finds himself involved with the Italian Mafia, and after some work and be arrested for the first time, he is finally integrated into the mob-family.

Years pass and the life of Henry is now on the mob-bussiness, a little work there, a robbery there, always with their best friends and partners James (Robert De Niro) and Tommy (Joe Pesci).

As the story progresses, Martin Scorsese and Nicholas Pileggi (screenplay) explore the world mobster in an impressive way. It's almost watching a lesson in how to be a professional criminal. Always keeping a realistic pace, and that little black humor that always Scorsese uses in his films, achieving the film both interesting and pure entertainment.

The entire cast does an excellent job, Robert De Niro despite not appear much, manages to be great; Ray Liotta is also excellent, but who gives a fantastic performance throughout the film is undoubtedly Joe Pesci.

From beginning to end we see the Mafia as never before, while maintaining an impressive pace of entertainment, very well written and directed, "GoodFellas" is surely one of the best works of Scorsese to be remembered.