Film: GoodFellas
Director: Martin Scorsese
Country: USA
Released: September 1990
Runtime: 146 minutes
Genre: Gangster Movie
Studio: Irwin Winkler / Warner Bros
Influenced: Tarantino, Spike Lee, David Chase, Guy Ritchie, Bryan Singer, Matthew Vaughn
Based on Nicholas Pileggi's 1985 non-fiction book Wiseguy: Life in a Mafia Family, GoodFellas is arguably the high point of Scorsese's glittering directorial career, with an all-star cast including Robert De Niro, Ray Liotta, Joe Pesci, Lorraine Bracco and Paul Sorvino. The screenplay was co-written by Scorsese and Pileggi, and they collaborated closely to ensure accuracy and authenticity in depicting the Mafia lifestyle. The film tells the story of Henry Hill (Ray Liotta), who grows up in a predominantly Italian-American neighbourhood in Brooklyn and aspires to become a gangster. It's a semi-autobiographical account of Hill's life from his involvement in the Lucchese crime family to his decision to become an informant for the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
We see Henry become associated with the mob and work his way up through the organisation, becoming deeply involved in criminal activities alongside his partners Jimmy Conway (Robert De Niro) and Tommy DeVito (Joe Pesci). As a teenager, he starts running errands for Paulie Cicero (Paul Sorvino), a powerful mobster, and eventually becomes a full-fledged member of the Lucchese family, participating in a number of criminal activities, including robbery, extortion and murder. Scorsese treats us to a series of memorable scenes, from the opening sequence involving Henry and his friends robbing a truck full of cigarettes, to Henry and Karen (Lorraine Bracco) attending a party at the Copacabana nightclub and the memorable moment when Henry and Karen testify against the mob. The narrative is framed by Henry's perspective, giving viewers an insider's look into the criminal underworld, including the violence, camaraderie and betrayals that characterise it.
As well as the famous tracking shot through the Copacabana nightclub, where Henry and his date are given preferential treatment, perhaps the film's most iconic moment is the brutal "Funny How?" scene, where Tommy playfully confronts a fellow gangster for calling him funny, which escalates into a chilling display of violence. One of the film's notable innovations is the extensive use of voiceover narration, giving the audience an insight into Henry's thoughts and experiences throughout the film. In addition, the film's editing, overseen by Thelma Schoonmaker, was groundbreaking; various elements such as the pacing and the use of music contributed to GoodFellas' unique style. The film's use of violence was also groundbreaking, more graphic and realistic than anything seen in a gangster movie before it.
GoodFellas ends with a poignant and reflective moment, in which we see Henry in the witness protection programme, reflecting on his life. His decision to cooperate with the FBI leads to the downfall of many of his friends and associates. GoodFellas received several Oscar nominations, picking up a Best Supporting Actor award for Pesci, and remains a beloved classic, celebrated for its storytelling, characters and technical achievements. The performances of the cast, especially Pesci's portrayal of Tommy, received critical acclaim and have become iconic in their own right. In terms of legacy, the film's depiction of the mob lifestyle, both its glamour and its brutality, has gone on to influence numerous other crime films and TV series, including most notably The Sopranos.
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