Goodfellas (1990)

By Christian Eltell

Written and Published on November 17, 2020

Critic Rating: 4/4 Stars

30th Anniversary Review

“As far back as I can remember, I always wanted to be a gangster.” -Henry Hill

This is one of several memorable lines from legendary filmmaker Martin Scorsese’s Goodfellas, the classic mob film that redefined the gangster genre, and further solidified Scorsese as one of the greatest directors of all time.

When I first saw this film at a young age, it was so different from the films I usually viewed as a child. I would generally watch films in which the heroes defeat the villains, like the James Bond pictures or the Dirty Harry series, as well as animated Disney movies. However, for Goodfellas, it was the violence, the vulgarity, the profanities (countless f-bombs), the smoking, the drugs, and the aggressive behavior of the characters that placed this picture in a league of its own. This was one of the first films I saw that wasn’t about heroes, villains (although gangsters are bad guys and sociopaths), or happy endings. This was about flawed and conflicted masculine individuals who wanted to steal their way to the top by murdering, robbing, and beating up people real bad. While they succeeded, they also had their downfall.

The opening perfectly sets up the film’s violent tone and energy. Henry Hill (Ray Liotta) drives his car on the road one dark evening. Jimmy “The Gent” Conway (Robert De Niro) and Tommy DeVito (Joe Pesci) are sleeping along for the ride. When they hear a noise coming from the trunk of the car, they stop, and Henry opens it to find that a man they have beaten up badly is still alive. Tommy stabs the wounded man with a knife multiple times, and Jimmy finishes him off with a few gunshots. Henry says his famous opening line and then the song, “Rags to Riches,” plays as the title of the film and the rest of the opening credits appear.

Based on a true story, and adapted from Nicholas Pileggi’s novel, “Wiseguy,” Goodfellas depicts the rise and fall of Italian-American gangster Henry Hill, of the Lucchese crime family, as well as his fellow associates. We see Henry’s early days as a young boy, skipping school to hang out with Italian mob guys. He parks their Cadillacs (and burns them), helps them out with deliveries at the pizzeria, sells alcohol and cigarettes to police officers, etc. When Henry gets a whipping from his father for not going to school, Henry’s friends threaten the postman by placing his head near the pizza oven, telling him to not send any more letters from the school to Henry’s home. Tough and intimidating guys, these gangsters. And that’s the point. With mobsters, it’s about earning respect by getting what you want (either with extreme force or with bribes) and having each other’s backs.

As young Henry continues making a lot of money assisting his fellow wiseguys, he meets Jimmy Conway, a man who enjoys stealing and spoiling his friends with cash. When Henry gets his first arrest (“pinch”), Jimmy gives him some important advice: “never rat on your friends, and always keep your mouth shut.” Unfortunately, this line is contradicted toward the end of the story, when Jimmy plans to have Henry whacked, and Henry is forced to enter the Witness Protection Program, giving up his comrades and the mob life for good.

Along with Jimmy, there’s Tommy, the uncontrollable, trigger-happy, foul-mouthed gangster who is full of manic energy. When he has enemies or people who piss him off, he doesn’t let up. He’ll curse people out, beat them up, or shoot them. Tommy almost intimidates Henry in the hilarious and startling “Funny How?” scene.

Henry’s wife, Karen Hill (Lorraine Bracco), didn’t see much in Henry when they first met during dinner with Tommy and his date, since Henry was pushy and initially not as interested. However, when Henry is a no-show for their second dinner, Karen drives toward Henry and lashes out at him in front of all his friends. Karen’s feistiness causes Henry to become increasingly attracted to her. 

There is a clever scene, the “Copacabana Shot,” in which Henry takes Karen into a fancy club to have dinner and see a performance. During this long take, Henry leaves his car with a valet, and he and Karen walk inside the Copacabana club through a side entrance. There’s a doorman who’s generously tipped by Henry. Then, Henry and Karen see the chefs cooking food and working in the kitchen. After that, Henry says hello to some guys, and they continue walking their way into the club, where champagne is served, and Henry tips the owner and the waiters. Karen asks Henry what he does for a living, and he tells her construction, which she doesn’t believe. This long take alone shows Henry’s power and ability to pay for luxury, and Karen becomes enlightened by his seemingly fun lifestyle. 

However, as years go by, Karen, while still attracted to Henry during their marriage, also becomes alarmingly puzzled by his violent behavior, his infidelity, always going out late at night with his friends, his drug use, and the fact that nearly every occasion or gathering always occurs with Henry’s wiseguys and their wives. Karen is also disturbed by the horrifying stories the other wives talk about, including the conflicts surrounding their kids. Karen also mentions the ugly makeup these ladies place on themselves.

Of course, Henry would go to prison more than once, but even in jail, special deals are made, and they make their own food. There’s a scene that shows Paulie (Paul Sorvino) cutting up small garlic slices with a razor, while Henry brings the bread, wine, salami, and cheese, and the other guys cook meat and sauce. All of it looks delicious!

Paulie is not only one of Henry’s oldest friends, but he’s also a father figure towards him. Paulie has watched Henry grow up before his eyes. He warns Henry about Jimmy and how he “takes too many chances,” and that Tommy is “wild.”

Jimmy and Tommy both represent the muscles in Henry’s crew. At times, Jimmy is cool and collected, especially when planning big heists and scores. Then there are moments when he gets mad and serious. When people like wig-seller Morty owe Jimmy money, his temper heightens and he gets aggressively violent. There is also a scene in which everyone is celebrating Christmas at a bar/restaurant, and wiseguys are flashing their new items like a beautiful car and an expensive coat. Jimmy gets furious because they just pulled off an impossible score, the Lufthansa heist, stealing millions of dollars, and showing off fancy stuff would cause too much attention. Jimmy gets really cold when he has disloyal men wacked in brutal ways. 

While Jimmy enjoys stealing, Tommy enjoys killing. He is the wild card who not only shoots and kills guys who are incompetent, but also those who piss him off. When Tommy argues with Spider (Michael Imperioli) about not getting a certain drink, Tommy complains about Spider’s stutter, and then swings his gun around, shooting Spider in the foot. The next time they meet, Spider tells Tommy “why don’t you go f*** yourself.” Tommy is quietly upset, and then kills Spider with a few shots to the chest after Jimmy yells out, “what’s the world coming to?”

Tommy also has his biggest argument with Billy Batts (Frank Vincent), the guy who ends up getting whacked in Henry’s car at the start of the film. Tommy and Billy go at it, with Billy telling Tommy, “Now go home and get your f***ing shine box.” Tommy gets really pissed, smashing his glass and later returning to beat up Billy. Tommy obliterates Billy’s face with his gun, and Jimmy repeatedly kicks him.

When Henry and Jimmy go with Tommy to his mother’s house to get a shovel, Tommy’s sweet mom (played by Scorsese’s own mother, Catherine) contently has the three men over for a late supper (delicious food and all, including Catherine’s painting with dogs and an old bearded man who resembles Billy Bats!). The transition from violence to comedy is truly what makes Goodfellas appealing and entertaining.

De Niro, Liotta, Pesci, Bracco, and Sorvino all deliver powerful landmark performances. These are high-wired characters who live in a galvanizing but brutal and cynical environment in which greed and organized crime reign supreme. The supporting cast, including Frank Vincent, Michael Imperioli, Tony Sirico, and Frank Sivero are also terrific (many of which go on to star in the hit HBO series The Sopranos and other mob/gangster pictures inspired by the energy of this film). There are also early appearances by great character actors like Samuel L. Jackson, Debi Mazar, Kevin Corrigan, Joseph D. Onofrio, and Illeana Douglas.

Martin Scorsese structures everything right in this picture. The narration from Henry and Karen is essential in understanding their journey, as well as their feelings toward each other and everyone they’ve known. The way Henry describes the joy and hardships of organized crime, such as stealing from truck drivers and dealing narcotics, simply grabbing money from the airport, putting the hits and beatdowns on people, and hanging out with his fellow wiseguys, all symbolize Henry’s excitement in becoming a powerful and respected gangster.

Karen’s attraction toward Henry is also reflected from her perspective when she mentions her exciting date with him at the Copacabana Club and drinking champagne together. She also expresses her anger towards Henry, such as furiously pointing a gun at him for cheating on her, despite still loving him.

Karen also mentions the thrill she felt holding a gun after Henry used it to angrily punch Karen’s neighbor, who was harassing her. This was one of the few times Karen saw Henry’s angry and vicious side.

Along with the “Copacabana Shot,” the freeze frames, such as young Henry running away after burning Cadillacs, Jimmy talking to Henry about killing Morty, or the postman’s head near the pizza oven, are cool shots that accompany Henry’s narration and depict some of the most crucial and dangerous moments in his life. There are also some killer close-up shots, like Henry’s puffy pale face after snorting up a bunch of cocaine, or slow-motion clips such as Jimmy smoking a cigarette as he stares at Morty, his prey, while “Sunshine of Your Love” plays in the background.

Another slow-motion shot shows the vicious Tommy holding up a silencer as he shoots young Sam Jackson.

All these cool visuals make the film more appealing because they show how these wise guys had such radical behavior. One of the best examples of paranoia is the “May 11, 1980” section towards the end, when Henry has a full, jam-packed day. Henry picks up his younger brother from the hospital and cooks spaghetti and meatballs for him, he goes shopping with Karen, shows Jimmy a bag of pistols, picks up an important package, has cocaine with his girlfriend, and his babysitter asks him to get her lucky hat! This is all while noticing that a helicopter has been following him most of the day as he drives around everywhere. The shot of a cop holding a silver gun near Henry’s head is also unforgettable, signaling the beginning of the end for the Goodfella.

The soundtrack is one to behold, from Tony Bennett’s “Rags to Riches,” to Cream’s “Sunshine of Your Love,” and Harry Nilsson’s “Jump into the Fire,” as well as Rolling Stones hits like “Gimme Shelter.” “Layla” by Derek and the Dominos also effectively accompanies the film when revealing the dead bodies of crew members that Jimmy had wacked after the Lufthansa heist. The music, especially the rock songs, are the energizers that highlight the film’s gruesome, masculine nature of the mob. 

There have been so many classic crime dramas, mobster and gangster pictures, most notably The Godfather films, Scorsese’s own Mean Streets, Casino, The Departed, and, most recently, The Irishman. Scarface (both 1932 and 1983), Donnie Brasco, Carlito’s Way, Black Mass, Public Enemies, Little Caesar, State of Grace, and American Gangster also depict organized crime and men who live by their own code in order to murder and steal. All these films are brilliant in their own right, but Goodfellas remains the best because of the dynamic characters, the narration, the combination of graphic violence and dark comedy, the fancy camerawork, the fast-paced editing, and the vibrant soundtrack. 

After all these years, why is Goodfellas still the greatest mob film ever made? Its unrelenting energy is simply unmatched. The look of the picture is beautiful, capturing New York from the 1950s through to the 1980s, along with the elegant wardrobe, cool Cadillacs and Pontiacs, and fancy bars and restaurants. Amidst all the greed, carnage, and cynicism, the characters aren’t people we necessarily have feelings for, but we end up partially caring about them due to the friendships, relationships, and family bonds formed. Henry, his wife, and his friends lose almost everything in the end, but the danger and excitement of the gangster life keep us engaged throughout their journey. When the action ends, we feel as bummed out as Henry.

Thanks to Marty, his crew, and the marvelous cast for giving us this national treasure of a film! My family and I always watch this picture every chance we get. My grandfather Benigno especially enjoyed De Niro’s and Pesci’s toughness and dark humor. Right now, I feel like having a shot of whiskey and getting my shine box!