Customer Reviews

Goodfellas [Blu-ray]

5 star:		(296)
4 star:		(45)
3 star:		(29)
2 star:		(12)
1 star:		(39)

 

 

This is simply a great mob movie. Based upon the best selling book, "Wiseguy", by Nicholas Pileggi, it traces the rise and fall of "gansta" wannabe turned government informant, Henry Hill. Skillfully directed by Martin Scorsese, this film with its all star cast, megawatt performances, and period music soundtrack packs quite a wallop to the senses. Named 1990's best film by the Los Angeles, New York, and National Society of Film Critics, it garnered six Academy Award nominations and earned Joe Pesci an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor.

In the 1950s, a preteen Henry Hill (Christopher Serrone) began his career as a "gansta" wannabe on the mean streets of East New York, where a small Italian American community thrived. Working with Paul Cicero's (Paul Sorvino's) crew, he worked his way up, doing the penny ante, gofer stuff, until he began more heavy duty involvement. As a young man, Henry Hill (Ray Liotta) took to his life in the underworld like a fish takes to water. He married a nice, jewish girl whom he turned into a shrewish girl, as he lived the life he wanted. His wife, Karen (Lorraine Bracco), also became entranced by the perks available to a mobster

Henry teamed up with Jimmy "The Gent" Conway (Robert DeNiro) and Tommy DeVito (Joe Pesci). Together they stole, lied, cheated, and killed their way through life, until they got wacked or got caught. When Henry, against the express advice of Paul Cicero, got involved with Jimmy in the 1970s cocaine drug trade, it was the beginning of the end for him and Jimmy. The film skillfully chronicles the rise and fall of Henry Hill from wiseguy to goverment informant in the witness protection program..

It is amazing that the actor playing young Henry Hill, Christopher Serrone, resembles Ray Liotta so much, right down to the piercing hazel eyes. He gives a terrific performance as young Henry, expressing all the joie de vivre that young Henry had over being associated with mobsters. Ray Liotta, as the adult Henry Hill, gives an outstanding performance. The viewer senses his absolute love for the life that he lives. He clearly enjoys all the perks of a mobster, his only regret being that he could never be a "made" guy, because he was not fully Italian, as his mother was Sicilian but his father was Irish.

Robert DeNiro is wonderful as Jimmy Conway, low key yet powerful. Joe Pesci gives an over the top performance as the wild, volatile, and totally crazy Tommy DeVito, an out of control wiseguy who has no redeeming value as a human being. He is a guy who does not think twice about killing someone over something trivial. Paul Sorvino is excellent as the mob boss who is all about the family and plays it the old fashioned way. Lorraine Bracco gives the performance of her life as Karen Hill, a woman besotted by the life of a mobster's wife, until she realizes that girlfriends are an expected part of that life. She is sensational.

This is simply a great mob movie. It is a film that the viewer will watch again and again. I, myself , have seen it at least three or four times, and each time is as if it were the first. Vastly entertaining, this film is a worthy addition to one's collection.

This is one of my most favorite Scorsese films. His camera work is magnificent and so is the soundtrack. The actors are briliant. What I loved most about this film was that you learn more about mafia life than you do in anyother mob film. Even "The Godfather" Many great modern directors have used this film as a guide line because of how perfect it is. I highly recomend this movie to anyone.

Cody

Goodfellas is the quintessential gangster movie. Joe Pesci's role fits him like the killer suits he wears (pun intended). Throw in DeNiro and some pre-Soprano characters and you've got a winner. Great quality DVD. One you'll watch often, especially after you see bits of the sanitized version on network TV.

Scorcese & Pileggi's masterpiece on the life of Henry Hill as a Brooklyn NY mob wise-guy is great film. While not my favorite Martin Scorsese movie it is a stunning achievement, and one of his very best movies.

As much as the true events of Henry's life have more than likely been dramatized and glamorized to a certain extent, the essence of this film in my observation is that it is still a brilliantly damning portrayal of the characters and lifestyle of mobsters.

The sham of the Mafiosi is exposed - preaching loyalty, respect & principles - but when it comes down to it they are just two-bit criminals that'll stab each other in the back for money or power over others. Each of them has an inflated sense of self-worth and stature that comes with being a "wise guy", breeding with it paranoia that others are not giving them the respect they deserve. The story follows Liotta's character from boy to man as he climbs his way up through the ranks of organized crime. We see all the highs and lows of his life and meet a host of very believable and very undesirable characters along the way. It's a film full of memorable scenes whilst remaining much more than the sum of its individual parts at the same time. The film starts as it means to go on - violent, full of profanity, fast paced and very stylish.

The consistently fine acting by the large ensemble cast (both known and unknown), the cinematography, editing, dialogue, is fantastic. Scorsese and co-writer Mitch Pileggi never loses sight of their main goal - to tell a story. And in that it's really hard to beat this movie. As to the actors De Niro is on his usual top form, Ray Liotta is the best he's ever been, and this is Joe Pesci's definitive performance. Plus you have Lorraine Bracco, Paul Sorvino, Michael Imperioli, and lots of well known faces in small but important roles (Debi Mazar, Samuel L. Jackson, Illeana Douglas, Kevin Corrigan), plus dozens of unfamiliar actors (and non-actors) who are all so good it seems unfair just to single out the "stars". Also keep an eye out for Vincent Gallo in a few scenes. He has no lines, but says a lot through his expressions.

This film draws you in and won't let you out of its grasp at any point. When it finishes you feel exhausted and exhilarated at the same time. If ever the word 'masterpiece' was meant to be used, it was for this film. 'Goodfellas' is (to date) Scorsese's last Great Movie, and one of the very best films of the 1990s. Absolutely essential viewing for any movie fan, this tremendous film is not to be missed! Highly recommended!

This movie is the BEST mob movie ever made! Hands down. It has it all! You will not be disappointed in buying this dvd!!

People say this movie is great, or "The Best", but I just thought it was a good movie. IT DOES NOT COMPARE TO THE GODFATHER! In all fairness, what gangster movie could?

The story in this movie is good(A true story), but it does start to drag a bit later on.
The two things I did not like about the movie were the ending, and the fact that so many of the characters came off as being very dumb. (How did they stay in business so long?)People were getting "whacked" for the stupidest, childish reasons. I think it is because the story was told from my least favourite character's prospective. What was told was only his point of view. I could tell you more about why he is my least favourite character, but that might spoil the movie if you have not seen it.

I must be getting old or just too spoiled and moved from the Godfather movies, but I just did not see what was so great about this movie. Don't get me wrong, the movie is surely a "must see" if you like Mob movies, but I don't think it's a "classic".

This is by far the best mob movie ever. Based on real life, it's just the best

This movie is a true classic, but I'm not going to talk about it. There are 413 other reviews that drool about how great Goodfellas is. If you don't know, you are either totally inexperienced with cinema or are living under a rock.

Instead, let's talk about 'features.' The last Goodfellas DVD was a 'flipper,' or a DVD that was so cheap, you had to get up and turn it over half-way through the film. I can accept that I need to turn Lawrence of Arabia over during the intermission, but Goodfellas is comparatively short. It is 2.5 hours long, to be more precise. A 2.5 hour film fits easily onto a single-side DVD with only a mildly-noticable transfer skip. That is the only special feature I want from this new version of the DVD. I'll buy it, just don't make me flip it, God in heaven!

Furthermore, Martin Scorsese has gotten the absolute worst treatment of any director this side of Roger Corman on DVD. Even his last film, Gangs of NY, was subjected to a ridiculous film-ruining stop right in the middle of a love scene that is so abrupt, you have to laugh. Didn't the jack-a$$es who ruined the Goodfellas DVD years before learn their lesson? OK, so Gangs was done by Miramax (the worst company on Earth for DVD quality and price,) but why does this trend have to blight poor Scorsese so terribly. He is one of the greatest living directors, for God's sake! His movies aren't exactly low-profile. The only Scorsese film that has been given a proper treatment is The Last Temptation of Christ, but that was a Criterion, and not a Warner DVD.

That brings me to my final thought. Considering the fact that Warner actually does a great job at releasing quality DVDs with a decent amount of interesting features most of the time, it seems doubly stupid releasing some of their greatest back-catalog titles like a lobotomized afterthought.

(...)

best mafia movie i've ever seen, though i haven't seen the godfather. can't wait for the commentary with the criminal and fbi agent.

GOODFELLAS is one of the greatest mob movies ever, perhaps the greatest movie. Everybody has to check this out. It is well-structured and includes some of the most solid performances from some of the greatest actors, like Ray Liotta, Robert De Niro, Joe Pesci, Paul Sorvino, Lorraine Bracco, and others. It is one of the many classics that director Martin Scorsece has to claim, but I think this tops them all. It follows Henry Hill (Ray Liotta) from his childhood days ditching school to work at Pauly Cicero's cabstand, to his rise and fall as a gangster. During which time, it follows the beginning of his loving relationship with his wife, and the trouble that followed after he being drawn deeper into the life of a gangster. You are able to see how much he loves his wife and his children. Hill is the perfect person to follow, because despite the brutal mafia life he has been drawn into, he remains to show signs of compassion, separating him from his colleagues. This film is based on a true story, and is adapted from the novel "WISEGUY" written by Nicolas Pileggi, who also wrote CASINO (another Scorsece film that would follow this, another good movie, but doesn't top GOODFELLAS.) You stay deep in tune with Hill's perspective on everything, because Liotta (as Hill) narrates along with Bracco (as Karen Hill) who describes her thoughts on what she went through. This film was nominated for many awards and earned Joe Pesci an oscar. Finally, a 2-disc special edition that includes more special features like documentaries and commentaries from Scorsece and even from Henry Hill himself, along with ex-FBI agent Edward McDonald. I have yet to see MEAN STREETS (an earlier Scorsece film, which also comes out with a special edition on the same day that this 2-disc edition is released. I have no complaints about buying GOODFELLAS over again, and I wouldn't have a problem buying CASINO over again, should they release a special edition. Anyway, if you like mob movies, even if you aren't keen on them, you will probably still enjoy GOODFELLAS. It has comedy, drama, violence, suspense, and even some romance. Go check out

GOODFELLAS: THREE DECADES OF LIFE IN THE MAFIA