Scorsese scores a big time hit with this movie. He directed and wrote the screenplay to a most realistic look at the inside workings of The Mob, a true life story of a Goodfella.
This is the true, (but a bit glorified) story of Henry Hill, infamous Goodfella.
Hill is played superbly by Ray Loitta. It chronicles his life, growing up on the streets of Brooklyn, idolizing the neighborhood Goodfellas, wise guys, mobsters.(by any name, it’s all the same).
It shows how as a young, street smart kid, he works his way into the good graces of the local Goodfella chieftan, Paulie Cicero, played to a tee by Paul Sorvino.
Cicero grooms Hill into a Goodfella by having him start out(as a young kid) running errands, slowly working him into petty crimes.
During one such petty crime, Hill and his Psychotic sidekick, Tommy(played by Joe Pesci, almost too perfectly) are caught. At this time Hill earns the reputation of being a good, stand up guy, because he spent time in jail rather than rat out his friends.
Robert DeNiro, playing Cicero’s right hand man, or what they call his lieutenant is chosen to show Hill the ropes. The ins and outs of being a Goodfella. And he does so with the same award winning style he does every movie he is in.
The story moves along as Hill rises to the top of the Goodfella ladder through murder, mayham and drugs. It shows his rise and then the ultimate fall.
He’s one bad guy you wind up rooting for.
Lorraine Bracco plays Hills wife, and adds just the right touch of a home life to keep the storyline under control.
The rest of the supporting cast seems like it was hand picked by Scorsese, because each and every one is perfect for the part they have in this movie.
The main plot and sub plots are blended beautifully to make this move rank way up there, right alongside The Godfather.
Some of the awards that were won by this movie are:
Best supporting actor, Joe Pesci.
American Film Institute, Top 100 best movies.
A couple of golden globes.
1/2 the British Academy awards.
L.A. Critics Assoc., top movie award........and so on.
And it deserved them all, plus more. A perfectly cast movie done this well, is hard to come by. Don’t miss seeing it.
I saw it when it first came out in 1990, loved it, bought the video, and I’ve seen it over and over many more times. And, ya know what? Each time, it gets better than the time before!