Goodfellas Movie Review

Goodfellas (1990)

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Written by: Nicholas Pileggi (book), Nicholas Pileggi & Martin Scorsese (screenplay)
Directed by: Martin Scorsese
Starring: Robert De Niro, Ray Liotta, Joe Pesci, Lorraine Bracco, Frank Vincent, Debi Mazar, Michael Imperioli, Samuel L. Jackson
Rated: R
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Plot
The story of Henry Hill and his life in the mob, covering his relationship with his wife Karen Hill and his mob partners Jimmy Conway and Tommy DeVito in the Italian-American crime syndicate.

Verdict
This is one of those quintessential gangster movies. Through Henry Hill we see exactly what's so alluring about the life. While he doesn't like the violence, he does like the wealth and material riches it brings. Being a true story certainly adds to it as we see Henry chase excess, but this is wonderfully acted and Scorsese really creates a mood. I often think a directors contributions are a small part of the package, but it's just not true with this movie.
Watch It.

Review
Henry Hill (Ray Liotta) always wanted to be a gangster. In his city, gangster ran the town and did whatever they wanted. Of course Henry was enamored by it. The gangsters like Henry and start helping him with any problems. He may be a kid, but he has status and is making more money at thirteen than many adults. It's a risky life, but if afford luxuries.

Ray Liotta plays Henry Hill

As a kid Henry only sees the upside. You understand the enticement, but his crimes keep getting bigger. Henry teams up with Tommy (Joe Pesci). Pesci does an amazing job with this quick tempered, erratic character. You begin to think that maybe Pesci isn't acting.

Direction can't make a movie, but it sure can create a mood. Scorsese capture a feeling from the shots to the framing. A lot of this movie is lit very dark, and that's appropriate.

There's a lot of voice over in this, but it adds to the story and provides character. So often voice over is used poorly to fill in gaps or for exposition. This movie shows how it should be used, to add layers to the characters.

The dynamic with Henry and his girlfriend Karen (Lorraine Bracco) captures what this movie is about. She likes the life Henry provides her. It's a life not many people can get, let alone afford. He impresses her quickly with how well known he is and how everyone caters to him. She soon realizes the business he's in, but she likes the luxury. She's surprised herself how quickly this life becomes normal. When it's going well, it becomes routine. It's a flashy lifestyle that can get violent. Henry and Karen don't like the violence, but they accept it for the benefits a life of crime brings. Henry acts as the audience surrogate, blinded by the riches but hesitant about the murder and violence.

It's one thing to life a life with no repercussions, stealing what you want, but it's another thing to kill a made guy. That's a guy you can't kill. Everything gets amplified, the violence, the self-serving life. These gangsters live differently, pursuing a hedonistic life. Even in jail they run the show and don't have to follow the rules. Money is power.

Robert de Niro, Ray Liotta, Joe Pesci play Jimmy, Henry, Tommy

Henry spends a bit of time in jail and gets into drugs to support his family. When he gets out, he can't part with the revenue stream. If he was living to excess before, now it's beyond his wildest dreams. I have to wonder if part of the intrigue of this movie is similar to Scarface, another movie with a main character that turns to crime, excels at it and is able to live a hedonistic lifestyle and fulfill every desire. For both of them it's the need for excess that becomes their downfall. It's a bit of the American dream where the material world is so compelling. You can have whatever money can buy, consequences be forgotten.

Henry has to face his crimes, and he just wants to get out. He's never been as hard as some of his associates and now he's a liability. He manages to save his life and survive, but at what cost? He's forced to live a normal life, and that's never been something that interested him.

Goodfellas is a classic. It taps into that fantasy of being rich with a somewhat plausible way to achieve it. Most of us can't became famous through entertainment, but crime offers anyone a chance at fast cash. Through Henry we get to see someone that has it all, but in the end he has to pay for his crimes, relegated to be just like the rest of us.