GOODFELLAS

I have always felt that some of the best movies are the ones which leave me wishing that, at least for a little while, I could live in the world of these films and spend time with their characters. And for me, as far back as the first time I saw "Goodfellas", I've always wanted to spend a day as a gangster. Now, granted, many of the events we see on screen involving the characters of Henry Hill, Jimmy Conway, and Tommy DeVito are not things I would ever want to associate myself with. I'm talking about the card games, late night drinks and cigars, and hilarious banter. "Goodfellas" does those scenes better than any other film. The first time I saw "Goodfellas" I was 15 years old, and watched it with a group of my bestfriends late one night. Naturally, this spurred us to take interest in poker and cigars during our high school down time. Lets face it, only Martin Scorsese could make a group of gang affiliated maniacs look like they're having so much fun. Scorsese's no-holds-barred style of storytelling and appreciation of his actors' improvisation in front of the camera allows "Goodfellas" to be one of the most authentic feeling movies ever. It seems to me that Ray Liotta, Robert De Niro, and Joe Pesci were so perfect for their roles in this film because sharing drinks with their buddies and cracking witty one liners are things that they had years of practice doing off-screen on their own time. The chemistry of the cast, combined with a hasty and episodic script from Scorsese and author Nicholas Pileggi, allow each scene of the film to be more entertaining and quotable than the last.

Henry Hill's story of a high rise and steep fall in a life of crime is told in the most honest way possible. The first hour or so of the film glorifies life in the mob; as Henry states, he and his friends, "had it all just for the asking". I must admit, the idea of being able to shove hundreds in the pockets of restaurant  owners just to get a seat wherever you want it is, well, pretty cool. While the beginning of the film shows the characters enjoying their glory days, Scorsese maintains the slightly psychotic undertone to just the right amount, like in Joe Pesci's infamous "funny how?" scene. My personal favorite scene however has always been the late night dinner with Tommy's mom. In the span of ten minutes, the story takes us from the brutal murder of Billy Batts over a petty argument, to a jovial conversation about marriage and art with an unassuming, innocent mother. Listen closely, and the unscripted dialogue from De Niro and Pesci during this scene is frankly hilarious. The dinner's lighthearted nature compared to the ferocity of the scenes that surround it is a perfect example of what makes this movie so unique. Scorsese is able to use this juxtaposition to add to the overall shock factor of the characters and their lack of restraint in their everyday lives.

As Henry begins his inevitable spiral towards retribution, the tone of the entire film changes. Instead of upbeat and sarcastic, the characters become paranoid and untrusting. The pace of the film quickens as Scorsese attempts to convey the disorganized sense of Henry's new drug fueled existence. "Goodfellas" quickly shows its audience that the lives of these characters are not nearly as glorious as it led them to believe. In typical Martin Scorsese fashion, just when you think the raunchy but illustrious characters are invincible, very quickly, "it's all over".

"Goodfellas" certainly presents themes such as power, morality, tradition, and masculinity, but for me, the bottom line is, its just fun to watch. I challenge anyone to argue for a movie that is more quotable than this one. Because of "Goodfellas", when I sit near a window at a restaurant, I'll always think ,"this is good, I can see everyone who drives up to the place". Because of "Goodfellas", an entire genre of music will always be labeled as "Goodfellas music" in my head. I struggle to call anything perfect, but I struggle more to find grievances with this picture. Its portrayal of the Italian-American crime scene is unique, enjoyable, and memorable in ways that no other film in the history of cinema can match, and that includes "The Godfather".

RATING: 10/10