Arguably Scorsese's finest hour.
Goodfellas (1990)
Tomatometer
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Reviews Counted:54
Fresh:52
Rotten:2
Average Rating:8.8/10
Runtime: 2 hrs 28 mins
Genre: Dramas
Synopsis: Based on Nicholas Pileggi's book WISEGUY, Martin Scorsese's GOODFELLAS is a wry, violent, and exhilarating film about the life of Henry Hill, an aspiring criminal who ends up in the FBI's witness... Based on Nicholas Pileggi's book WISEGUY, Martin Scorsese's GOODFELLAS is a wry, violent, and exhilarating film about the life of Henry Hill, an aspiring criminal who ends up in the FBI's witness protection program after testifying against his former partners. As a poor Irish-Italian growing up in 1950s New York City, Hill (Ray Liotta) rises through the ranks of his Brooklyn neighborhood's organized crime branch, and with money from the mob he begins living the good life, complete with a beautiful bride, Karen (Lorraine Bracco), a fancy house, and the best seats at the most exclusive restaurants. A botched robbery lands Henry in prison for a brief period of time, and when he gets released, his reckless infidelities and drug abuse damage his association with his adopted family. Scorsese's film is a visual and sonic onslaught, featuring a brilliant pop-music soundtrack and stunning camera work--including the infamous Steadicam one-take that introduces the audience to the Copacabana's patrons. He uses the songs to infuse a breathtaking, invigorating rhythm into every scene. As the psychopathic Tommy DeVito, Joe Pesci delivers an unforgettable performance that is alarming in its cold-blooded callousness, helping to cement GOODFELLAS' place as a classic portrait of life in the mob. [More]
Starring: Ray Liotta, Lorraine Bracco, Robert De Niro, Joe Pesci
Starring: Ray Liotta, Lorraine Bracco, Robert De Niro, Joe Pesci, Paul Sorvino, Frank Sivero, Mike Starr, Frank Vincent, Samuel L. Jackson, Sheila Howard, Kevin Corrigan, Henny Youngman, Tony Darrow, Chuck Low, Frank Di Leo, Christopher Serrone, Jerry Vale
Director: Martin Scorsese
Director: Martin Scorsese
Screenwriter: Martin Scorsese, Nicholas Pileggi
Story: Nicholas Pileggi
Producer: Irwin Winkler
Reviews for Goodfellas
Goodfellas is a tour de force that brilliantly evokes both the seductive glamour and moral degradation of organised crime.
Scorsese's rich tapestry is both broader in scope and more detailed than a mere recounting of the events in the trio's life of crime.
An expert blend of narration, period music, and dynamic tableaux creating an energetic, darkly funny, and unforgettable portrait of life among the Mob's bottom feeders
Director Scorsese does an impeccable job of covering all the ground here in a 21/2-hour film that doesn't seem long at all.
That Martin Scorsese's brilliant GoodFellas lost the 1990 Best Picture and Best Director Oscars to Dances with Wolves is one of the all-time miscarriages of justice in the history of the Academy Awards.
A highly disturbing but mesmerising look at the joys and dangers of life in the mob. One of Scorsese's best.
This cinematic gem deserves its rightful place among the best films of 1990s.
Based on Pileggi's book, Scorsese's biopic of Henry Hill is so well-crafted, shot, and acted that it easily overcomes some of the film's shortcomings, such as its dramatic shaplessness and less than powerful ending.
Proves that not even crooks can do whatever they want-everybody is accountable.
Brutal, stylish, hypnotic and addictive, GoodFellas remains Scorsese's best film.
It is not a coincidence that Scorsese's three masterpieces all star Robert De Niro.
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