Goodfellas

GOODFELLAS (18)

D: Martin Scorsese

Warner Bros. (Irwin Winkler)

USA 🇺🇸 1990

148 mins

Crime/Drama

W: Martin Scorsese & Nicholas Pileggi [based on the novel 'Wiseguy' by Nicholas Pileggi]

DP: Michael Ballhaus

Ed: Thelma Schoonmaker

PD: Kristi Zea

Cos: Richard Bruno

Robert DeNiro (James Conway), Ray Liotta (Henry Hill), Joe Pesci (Tommy DeVito), Lorraine Bracco (Karen Hill), Paul Sorvino (Paul Cicero), Frank Sivero (Frankie Carbone), Tony Darrow (Sonny Bunz), Frank Vincent (Billy Batts)

Martin Scorsese's seminal crime masterpiece was heavily criticised on it's original release due to it's violence and industrial strength language, although it's rather tame compared to films released since (even the director's own Casino & The Departed are more gratuitous).

Based on the book "Wiseguy" by Nicholas Pileggi, Goodfellas is mostly the story of Henry Hill, who coveted a gangster lifestyle from when he was a young boy in the 1950's, and upon getting his feet in the proverbial door, worked his way up to becoming a formidable member, alongside infamous gangsters James Conway & Tommy DeVito.

All the cast are absolutely fantastic, but Joe Pesci steals the movie with his iconic, often mimicked performance as the psychotic Tommy, a short man with an even shorter temper.

Nominated for the Best Picture Oscar of 1990, there are many who argue this should have won, and it's a pretty decent argument.

10/10