"Goodfellas" (1990) - PREVIOUS VIEWING

Rank on the AFI List: #92

Synopsis (according to AFI):
This gangster film for modern day is based on the true story of Henry Hill, played by Liotta, who dreamed as a kid of becoming a member of the glamorous mob who ran his New York City neighborhood.  De Niro and Pesci are members of the family he ascends to, until he breaks the code and eventually falls from grace.

LET ME EXPLAIN...
This is a very well done movie.  It contrasts with "The Godfather" in that "The Godfather" focuses on the decision-makers while "Goodfellas" centers on the guys who carry out the dirty work.  So in a sense, "The Godfather" has a somewhat glamorous view of the mob lifestyle, but "Goodfellas" has a gritty and oftentimes downright awful portayal of what it's like to be part of a mob family.

There were two scenes that stuck out to me as impressive filmmaking.  One is when Liotta pistol-whips a guy (it's a horrible scene, but from a filmmaking standpoint, it's quite impressive).  The other scene (my favorite in the film) is when Liotta and his date enter a night club from the back, walk through a maze of busy hallways and kitchens, and eventually arrive at the dining area and sit down at a table right up front.  What's so impressive about it?  It was one continuous shot, and it went on for over 3 minutes (these are referred to as "tracking shots", and they are really cool when you realize how much effort goes into shooting them).  Click here to check it out!

What makes this a "Top 100" Movie?
From a movie-making standpoint, "Goodfellas" is exceptional.  From the film editing and cinematography to the screenplay and acting, this is a very well-done movie.  Joe Pesci (who won the lone Oscar for this film for Best Supporting Actor) was terrific at being a horrible and angry person with a very short temper (in fact, Pesci's character in the very first scene really disturbed my wife).  The content of the film was also interesting in that it took a lifestyle that is often glamourized in film and took a close look at just how "real" (and unglamorous) it can be.  All in all, "Goodfellas" was nominated for six Academy Awards, including Best Picture, Director, Screenplay, and Film Editing, and it stands as the quintessential modern-day gangster film.

Complaints?
Like I said in my initial post, I felt like I needed a shower and de-tox after seeing this movie.  The movie spends so much time in the gutters of life that it's not exactly fun to watch.  This isn't really a complaint, however, since this is what the movie was trying to do, but I'm just not a fan of the content.

LET ME SUM UP...
A very good gangster movie that explores the lives of those who do the dirty work for the families.  It's violent, drug-heavy, and not the most fun to watch, but it's done very well.

MY RATING: 6/10