One of the most well-known movies ever, Goodfellas, premiered in theaters on September 19, 1990. It was directed by Martin Scorsese and written by Nicholas Pileggi. This movie stars several of the greatest actors in film history, including Robert De Niro, Joe Pesci, and Ray Liotta.
Goodfellas is one of the best crime and drama movies of all time. Those two elements help make up one of the best mafia movies ever made.
Robert DeNiro, Ray Liotta, and Joe Pesci have all acted in countless great movies, but this was one of the best movies they have acted in. De Niro plays a professional thief named Jimmy Conway. Ray Liotta plays Henry Hill, a member of the mafia since he was a teenager. And Joe Pesci won an Academy Award for playing Tommy DeVito, an impulsive hitman with a bad temper. These three men are eventually introduced to each other by Paulie Cicero, the leader of the Lucchese crime family, who is played by Paul Sorvino.
A great aspect of this movie is how similar it is to the true story of Henry Hill. One example of this is that, when he realizes he is going to be killed by the Lucchese family, he becomes an informant for the FBI. Another example is how the real-life Tommy DeVito, Tommy DeSimone, was killed for the murder of William Bentvena, the real-life Billy Bats.
Another great aspect of this movie is how well they cast the characters. One great example of this is Morrie Kessler, played by Chuck Low, who fits the role of an impatient associate of the mafia because of how he looks and sounds. Another great example of this is Paulie, who is one of the best-written dons I have ever seen.
The ending to this movie is also great, because, unlike the other movies or shows I’ve watched, where the main characters either take over the mafia or get killed, this one is much different. Also, this ending is great because of how similar it is to the ending of Henry Hill’s role in the mafia in real life.
The music in Goodfellas is also amazing. Although none of the music is original, each song fits their scenes so perfectly. One great example of this is when the famous piano exit from “Layla” starts playing as most of the mobsters involved in the Lufthansa heist are taken out one-by-one. Another amazing moment is when Henry takes Karen, played by Lorraine Bracco, out to dinner, and the song “Then He Kissed Me” begins to play as he introduces her to his many associates.
You definitely don’t want to miss out on one of the best movies of the past forty years! And if you enjoy this movie, I also suggest watching The Godfather and A Bronx Tale, as they are similar to Goodfellas. You can rent all three of these movies on Amazon or on Apple TV.
