Goodfellas (1990) Dir: Martin Scorsese
- Ridley Coote
- Jun 22, 2023
- 2 min read
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This 1990 classic, from legendary director Martin Scorsese, is another one of those films people are shocked to hear that I haven't seen. Or at least, that was, until recently.
Based on the book 'Wiseguy', written by Nicholas Pileggi, which is itself based on a true story, this incredibly recognisable crime drama serves as a classic of the genre. At 2 hours and 26 minutes, it is certainly a long watch, especially for 1990.
The story is easy to invest in, although I can't say I was consistently enthralled, mainly due to the film's slow pacing. The actual quality of story is very strong, and thanks to Scorsese's consistently excellent storytelling ability, there is no point where the narrative seems to fall down.
Ray Liotta stars alongside some big names in a role that could have swallowed him up, but instead, he manages to produce a pretty strong performance that would ultimately be considered one of his best.
Robert De Niro is at his best here, with some of his most classic moments coming from this very performance. He is superb in this key supporting role.
Speaking of classic performances, this film features one of the best displays from Joe Pesci, who is arguably even more iconic than De Niro here. He absolutely nails his character's screw-loose personality, and is my personal favourite performer in the whole film.
Paul Sorvino makes for a very believable character, and is very consistently solid in a supporting role that I enjoyed a lot.
Lorraine Bracco is another strong performer, with her emotional outbursts in particular being some of her personal highlights.
I'll also give quick mentions to Frank Vincent and Samuel L. Jackson, who provide decent performances in relatively small roles.
Overall, this is certainly a quintessential piece of gangster cinema, and is Scorsese through and through. Aside from some pacing issues, I found this to be an excellently executed depiction of American gangsters.
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