The Wasteland Reviewer

The Wasteland Gems: Goodfellas (1990)

How do you choose what to watch on all those streaming services you have access to? There are so many options that it is just overwhelming. These services constantly release new content and overshadow all the great films from the past that are already there and ready to watch. Now there is The Wasteland Gems! Here is a great film on streaming right now that you should check out this weekend:

Goodfellas (1990)

When you were a kid, what did you aspire to be? We all had our dreams about what we wanted to be when we grew up. Most of us probably did not dream of getting into organized crime but that is what a young Henry Hill longed for when he was a child. When Henry says “As far back as I can remember, I always wanted to be a gangster” we are hooked. Scorsese makes the decision to show the brutality of this life from the opening scene, but we still see that Henry loved this life no matter what. That complexity makes Goodfellas so fascinating.

What is the most important ingredient of Goodfellas? Martin Scorsese. The most important element of this film is for this to feel authentic and real. If Goodfellas is just the crime element of the film, it would never be this great. When you spend time in the Italian American culture of this organized crime family, you get layers of authenticity and realistic moments. We connect with the lifestyle of this. We can see why Henry has always wanted to be part of it. But the sharpness of the film gives the 145-minute runtime great pace and energy. This is an exciting and entertaining ride because Scorsese and company bring so much energy and propulsion to the experience. The music fits the culture and period so well and gives the film even more personality. There are plenty of filmmaking moments that make this film work so well. The long take that goes into Copacabana is one of the coolest moments in the history of film. Complex in execution and effective in presentation, this sets the stage for this life. Scorsese knows how to balance the cool and engaging vibe of the film with the high tension and paranoia that builds up throughout the film (all leading up to the climactic third act that impressively puts the audience on edge.

Outside of Scorsese, who else really brings the goods to Goodfellas? This cast. This is the best performance of Ray Liotta’s career. He was born to portray Henry Hill. He captures the young and ambitious personality of Henry. You see when the cracks start to appear as he is confronted by those with more power, but his arrogance is a real driving force in the performance. Liotta gets to show off some range as Henry takes more and more drugs and the paranoia needs to start ratcheting up. Lorraine Bracco gives arguably the best performance of any actress in a Scorsese film. The men get most of the spotlights in Scorsese films, but Bracco’s Karen is incredible. She gets the opportunity to do the Scorsese voice over, and she delivers in spades. We witness Karen move from innocent and uptight to someone who is also diving into this lifestyle and world. But the conflict between Liotta and Bracco is so poignant and brings endless dramatic tension. But it is Joe Pesci who truly steals the show. Hilarious. Terrifying. Dangerous. Tommy DeVito is one of the most terrifying antagonists in film while also making someone who is hilarious and entertaining. Pesci’s performance is top notch and well realized. Pesci pulls in the audience every moment with his big performance. But then you have Robert De Niro as Jimmy Conway. His quitter menace is so effective thanks to the presence and controlled hand that De Niro brings to the table. Throw Paul Sorvino with his grand presence and performance as the leader of this criminal organization.

What are some of the big moments that really sell this film? The Copacabana sequence is incredible and stands out. The “Funny how?” scene is one of the best examples of how a performance can command so much tension. Pesci is engrossing and compelling and brings so much danger and stakes. The tension is impressive for sure. The early sequence of young Henry brings so much nostalgia and vibes to the film and envelopes the audience with this tantalizing life. The late-night dinner scene with Tommy’s mother feeding them is so iconic due to the great performance from Scorsese’s mother being the most believable Italian mother ever. The sequence where Karen visits Jimmy where Karen might be killed is pregnant with tension and puts you on edge (with both Bracco and De Niro acting their tails off). There are so many great moments in this film that make this such an iconic and impactful film.

Why is Goodfellas such an iconic and must-see film? This is one of the most impeccably crafted films you are ever going to see. Along with The Godfather, this is the peak of the organized crime subgenre. This cast is absolutely on point. The complexity and raw energy make this such a fascinating exploration of the life of crime highlighted in Hill’s story. The music. The cinematography. The editing. Every aspect of this film is firing on all cylinders.

Goodfellas is streaming on Netflix.