Goodfellas
Overview
Goodfellas is a 1990 biographical crime film directed by Martin Scorsese, based on the 1985 non-fiction book Wiseguy by Nicholas Pileggi. The film follows the rise and fall of Henry Hill (Ray Liotta), a real-life mob associate who worked for the Lucchese crime family in New York City from the 1950s to the 1980s. The film is narrated by Henry, and it is told in a fast-paced, energetic, and often exhilarating style that mirrors the thrill of the gangster lifestyle. The film opens with the famous line, "As far back as I can remember, I always wanted to be a gangster." Young Henry (Christopher Serrone) is fascinated by the mobsters in his neighborhood, and he begins working for the local boss, Paulie Cicero (Paul Sorvino). He meets Jimmy Conway (Robert De Niro), a clever, ruthless hijacker, and Tommy DeVito (Joe Pesci), a violent, impulsive psychopath. The film follows the three men as they pull off the Lufthansa heist, the largest cash robbery in American history at the time. The second half of the film shows the downfall of Henry and his friends. The Lufthansa heist leads to a series of murders as Jimmy kills anyone who might talk. Henry becomes addicted to cocaine, and he begins to make mistakes. Tommy is murdered by the mob for killing a made man, a violation of the rules. Henry is arrested and, to save himself, becomes an FBI informant, testifying against his former friends. The film ends with Henry in the Witness Protection Program, living a boring, ordinary life, which he describes as worse than death. The film is famous for its long tracking shot through the Copacabana nightclub, its use of popular music (including The Rolling Stones, The Ronettes, and Cream), and its brutal violence. Joe Pesci won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his terrifying performance as Tommy. The scene where Tommy asks Henry, "Funny how? I amuse you? I make you laugh?" is one of the most famous scenes in cinema history. Goodfellas was a critical and commercial success, earning over $46 million on a $25 million budget. It was nominated for six Academy Awards, winning one for Joe Pesci. It is widely considered one of the greatest films ever made and one of Scorsese's masterpieces.
