Goodfellas (1990)

Goodfellas is a fast-paced, gritty crime drama that follows Henry Hill’s rise from small‑time neighborhood kid to central figure in an Italian‑American organized crime family. Through Henry’s first‑person narration, you watch him fall under the sway of charismatic but dangerous partners — the slick strategist Jimmy Conway and the volatile Tommy DeVito — as the trio moves from petty theft to high‑stakes hijackings, robberies and murder. Based on true events, the film traces the intoxicating climb to power and wealth and the corrosive consequences of life inside the mob. Seeing the movie is an immersive, often jolting experience: the energy is kinetic, the storytelling intimate, and the tone alternates between darkly comic camaraderie and brutal, sudden violence. Expect rapid editing, stylish camera work, a pulsating period soundtrack, and memorable performances that make the characters feel vivid and immediate. The film doesn’t glamorize the lifestyle so much as show its seductive thrills alongside paranoia, addiction and the inevitable unraveling of loyalty. The result is both a cautionary portrait of organized crime and an engrossing character study. Viewers will come away with a clear sense of the rules, rituals and human costs of mob life, remembered as much for its atmosphere and storytelling voice as for its dramatic highs and violent lows.

Actors: Robert De Niro, Ray Liotta, Joe Pesci

Director: Martin Scorsese

Runtime: 146 min

Genres: Biography, Crime, Drama

8.4 /10 92 /100 8.7 /10 8.8 /10