Featured Audience Ratings

• Mister C

  
  "As far back as I can remember, I always wanted to be a gangster. To me,being a gangster was better than being president of the United States." So says Henry Hill in the opening moments of Martin Scorsese's "Goodfellas",a movie about the tradecraft and… More
  "As far back as I can remember, I always wanted to be a gangster. To me,being a gangster was better than being president of the United States." So says Henry Hill in the opening moments of Martin Scorsese's "Goodfellas",a movie about the tradecraft and culture of organized crime in New York. That he narrates his story-and is later joined by his wife-narrating hers-is crucial to the movie's success. This is not an outsider's view,but a point of view based ion nostalgia for the lifestyle. Towards the end of the film,Henry Hill(Ray Liotta)still misses the old days. His money is gione,most of the friends are dead,and his best friend is preparing to kill him,but after he finds safety in the federal witness protection program,but he still complains. The rewards of unearned privilege are at the heart of "Goodfellas"(which remains not only Scorsese's best but one of the great gangster thrillers of the 1990's) which relies heavily on the hardcore graphic violence sequences along with hardcore scenes of drug abuse and explicit graphic language along with some intense action scenes made this one of the top ten highest grossing movies of 1990 that was impressive in it's cast: Robert De Niro, Joe Pesci, Lorraine Bracco, along with Frank Silvero, Paul Sorvino, Frank Vincent, Tony Darrow and Samuel L. Jackson. The film was nominated for six Oscars including Best Picture, Best Director(Scorsese),Best Supporting Actor(Joe Pesci), Best Actress(Lorraine Bracco), Best Actor(Ray Liotta),and won Joe Pesci the Oscar for Best Supporting Actor. The screenplay by Nicholas Pileggi and Martin Scorsese is based on Pileggi's book about Henry Hill titled "Wiseguy:Life In A Mafia Family"

• xGary X

  
  Career criminal Henry Hill reminisces upon his life of crime in this true life story based on an actual FBI case. Goodfellas is the perfect film. It has the perfect blend of drama, gritty violence and humour as we see the dark side of the American dream played out over 25 years of a… More
  Career criminal Henry Hill reminisces upon his life of crime in this true life story based on an actual FBI case. Goodfellas is the perfect film. It has the perfect blend of drama, gritty violence and humour as we see the dark side of the American dream played out over 25 years of a wise guy's life. The people depicted here do not play by society's rules and have their own set of laws and conventions revolving around the pure pursuit of profit in this, the logical conclusion of capitalism. The livelihoods and lives of others are commodities to be used up and tossed away and life is cheap to these mobsters whose stated obsession with loyalty and family is also soon forgotten for the "big score", leading to total anarchy. The combination of DeNiro, Liotta and Pesci makes for a brilliant triple act and there are so many classic scenes it's easy to lose count. The idea to tell the story in a "Wonder Years" format using one of the best soundtracks ever compiled was a stroke of genius and the post modern conclusion the perfect way to end the story. For me, Goodfellas is the best film ever made. Full stop.

• Alexander D

  
  GoodFellas is the kind of mob movie we rarely ever come across. Not until 2006 did we get another just as well-made American crime thriller about a Europe-based mob. Incidentally, Scorsese directed that feat as well, but especially after seeing the mastermind he proved himself in… More
  GoodFellas is the kind of mob movie we rarely ever come across. Not until 2006 did we get another just as well-made American crime thriller about a Europe-based mob. Incidentally, Scorsese directed that feat as well, but especially after seeing the mastermind he proved himself in this near impeccable beauty-the one that should have triumphed as The Godfather Part III-it's not one bit a surprise. read it all at themoviefreakblog.com, wiseguy

• Eric S

  
  Arguably the greatest crime film ever made, and in my opinion it is. Very impressed with the portrayal of Henry Hill's infamous life. There's not a dull moment and the fact that it's a true story makes it all the more interesting. The acting is top-notch; the characters… More
  Arguably the greatest crime film ever made, and in my opinion it is. Very impressed with the portrayal of Henry Hill's infamous life. There's not a dull moment and the fact that it's a true story makes it all the more interesting. The acting is top-notch; the characters are what really make this film shine. Definitely deserving of Best Picture. Should have won...

• Kevin C

  
  A brilliant tale of every stage of Italian-American mob life. The world is a better place for having a filmmaker like Scorsese.

• Albert K

  
  One of the best mobster/crime movies of all time. Joe Pesci is phenomenal. Robert De Niro is incredible as always. Everything is meticulously detailed. Incredible movie.

• Carlos M

  
  The fascinating tale about the ascension and fall of an ambitious gangster, told in a brutal and realistic way by Martin Scorsese. An all-time classic, perfectly directed and edited, with many memorable moments and a remarkable performance by Joe Pesci, who steals the show.

• Mike S

  
  Masterfully directed crime epic, by one of the world's most ingenious story-tellers, Martin Scorsese. Spanning across several decades, this stellarly crafted biopic invites us to an exclusive sphere of luxury and extreme violence, where everything can and does happen. For me,… More
  Masterfully directed crime epic, by one of the world's most ingenious story-tellers, Martin Scorsese. Spanning across several decades, this stellarly crafted biopic invites us to an exclusive sphere of luxury and extreme violence, where everything can and does happen. For me, this is the mob movie of mob movies. All due respect to "The Godfather", but it's got nothing on the sheer excitement and amazing cast of this film. No matter how many times I watch it, I never cease to be mesmerized by the perfectly executed true story. Stylish, insightful, bloody and compelling, it's the work of a true artist, whose every touch and influence, makes for nothing short of pure cinematic magic. A must-see gangster drama and one of my favourite movies of all-time!

• Emil K

  
  Interesting, flawed and overrated film that is far from Scorseses best. It still manages to keep you hooked and has great eye on details.

• Mark W

  
  For many, this is the best film ever made and it certainly ranks as one of director Martin Scorsese's finest moments. Personally, "Raging Bull" would be my favourite but there's no denying the abundant brilliance throughout this. Scorsese is on comfortable ground… More
  For many, this is the best film ever made and it certainly ranks as one of director Martin Scorsese's finest moments. Personally, "Raging Bull" would be my favourite but there's no denying the abundant brilliance throughout this. Scorsese is on comfortable ground here and it shows. Based on the real life story of Henry Hill - low level New York mafia member turned F.B.I informant. We're shown his life from childhood, his induction to the local 'family', and his subsequent rise in status. Then it all starts to go wrong as Henry gets involved with drug dealing and loses the trust of his partners in crime. Scorsese keeps the film flowing and fascinating by using the technical possibilities of his craft. There are flash cuts, freeze frames, crash zooms and montages, all expertly executed and aided by cinematographer Michael Ballhaus. There is rarely a moment when the camera is static. It moves and weaves through the lives of the characters bringing a real sense of excitement and vibrancy - the Copacabana nightclub tracking shot is a sublime piece of camerawork alone. The actors all deliver exceptional performances; Joe Pesci is frighteningly volatile and may have been the only Oscar winner but "The Sopranos" Lorraine Bracco (Oscar nominee) and Ray Liotta are a revelation as the strung out couple who get in way over their heads; Paul Sorvino is intensely reserved and Robert DeNiro, as always, is class. However, my only criticism is his character takes a back seat to the others and is a little underused. Whenever called upon though, his subtle exchanges are very powerful. This is a film that has influenced so many since it's arrival. Quentin Tarantino (with his eclectic use of music as the soundtrack and sudden bursts of violence) and Paul Thomas Anderson (with his long tracking shots and numerous characters) are a couple of notable directors that have so obviously learned from Scorsese's expertise. Comparisons with "The Godfather" are inevitable but this has a different, more working class, feel to it. The people's lives are more accessible and less like the operatic Corleone's. The arguments and opinions will rage on between them but rest assured that this stands it own ground. A Tour de force crime film that never let's up and boasts career highs for all involved. Quite simply, it's a cinematic masterpiece.

• Coxxie M

  
  This movie throws your BALLS TO THE WALL. then it makes you apologize to the wall, when it knows very well that you didnt throw yourself into the wall, and this pisses you off even more because you have popped-open, bleeding balls, and then it pisses on the wall and tells the wall it… More
  This movie throws your BALLS TO THE WALL. then it makes you apologize to the wall, when it knows very well that you didnt throw yourself into the wall, and this pisses you off even more because you have popped-open, bleeding balls, and then it pisses on the wall and tells the wall it will kill its children if it tells anyone what it saw. and of course, the wall cant talk, but even if it could, it would still just like, sit there all quiet like a bitch... this movie is really good.

• Matt G

  
  Brutal, profane, honest, and bashful; mafia movies are a treasure of mine, and GoodFellas manages to put its place in my number one spot. It's just an all around cool film, and Martin Scorsese's best. Utterly devoid of any flaws whatsoever, with a fantastic lead from Ray… More
  Brutal, profane, honest, and bashful; mafia movies are a treasure of mine, and GoodFellas manages to put its place in my number one spot. It's just an all around cool film, and Martin Scorsese's best. Utterly devoid of any flaws whatsoever, with a fantastic lead from Ray Liota.

• Kyle F

  
  GoodFellas has the perfect balance of dark intensity and fun. The dialogue is razor sharp and the acting is so perfect all around that what happens on screen seems exceptionally realistic. While the running time may be a bit excessive, it isn't noticeable until after the movie… More
  GoodFellas has the perfect balance of dark intensity and fun. The dialogue is razor sharp and the acting is so perfect all around that what happens on screen seems exceptionally realistic. While the running time may be a bit excessive, it isn't noticeable until after the movie is over.

• Graham J

  
  Giving the Godfather 1 & 2 a run for their money, this may be the greatest gangster film of all time

• Jim C

  
  Goodfellas is a amazing and masterful gangster film that is very close to being one of my favorite films ever made. The plot is not one to take lightly, we are not only following this mans life in the mob world, we get to see how he got into the life of the mob world, and grow to… More
  Goodfellas is a amazing and masterful gangster film that is very close to being one of my favorite films ever made. The plot is not one to take lightly, we are not only following this mans life in the mob world, we get to see how he got into the life of the mob world, and grow to enjoy and love almost every single character because of how weird they are or how crazy they are and they are just so unusual that it makes them hard not to be interesting, and the story that follows these characters never got boring for me, I truly enjoyed Goodfellas start to finish. The cast is incredible, ray Liotta has been in some crappy movies before, but his one performance in one of the greatest mob films ever makes up for a lot of it. Robert DeNiro is great as always, it seems whenever DeNiro and Scorsese get together it will be a genius piece of film. Joe Pesci is probably my favorite, his character is so funny and insane that it is almost impossible to hate, I loved his performance. Goodfellas will likely be remembered as one of the greatest gangster films ever, and it really deserves that title to the fullest.

• Eric A

  
  Full of style and flavor; easily one of the best mobster movies ever made........ it's up there with The Godfather.

• Zach B

  
  With Gangster/ Mob films, there are three names that only need to be known: Frances Ford Coppola, Sergio Leone and Martin Scorsese. With the later director, he is known for making some of the greatest films that dealt with the Mob, and this film will always be his masterpiece in the… More
  With Gangster/ Mob films, there are three names that only need to be known: Frances Ford Coppola, Sergio Leone and Martin Scorsese. With the later director, he is known for making some of the greatest films that dealt with the Mob, and this film will always be his masterpiece in the genre. Originally based on a true story, this film is blunt, real, and almost the polar opposite of the legendary The Godfather. What makes this film work, other then the fantastic directing and acting along with it's well made script, is that this film is serious, but fun in how it is less of a film and more of an account of one teenager who wanted to be in the world of Mobsters, but then as an adult gets much more then he bargained to get. Now, when I first saw this film, I will admit that I was not that big of a fan of thsi one due to me being a die-hard The Godfather fanatic. But, if you push aside the bar that Coppola and Mario Puzo had created, then this film could rival the great Gangster legacy. Okay, let's get to the details. For directing, what can be said about Martin Scorsese? He is a man that constantly pushes the envelope with any film he has done, and this being one of his two main gangster films, he blows the doors wide open. While there are some similarities to Sergio Leone's Once Upon A Time In America, the direction is not as dead serious as OUATIA was and that actually works for the benefit of this film. While Scorsese's next mob film was Casino, this will be the best of him in terms of direction. Now acting. Featuring a strong cast of actors that work with Scorsese on numerous other projects, they all give their best acting with this film. Everyone from Joe Peci's (Who one an Academy Award For Best Supporting actor) acting in turning his scenes into some of the best dark comedy pieces of cinema that would make Stanley Kubrick proud, to Ray Liotta being this cocky, naive kid that his just along for the ride, to even Paul Sorvino (who would later be in Repo! The Genetic Opera) being Liotta's mentor into the world of crime, the cast just goes out of it's way to be beyond excellent. Now the script. Being based on a true story, this film takes many liberties to staying with the spirit of the original, while being it's own film. As a film, this is well written, hilarious, somber, wise, foolish, and just a completely great script that had written a great film. Finally the score. being made up of rock and soul songs from the 1960's to 1980's, this soundtrack really brings you into this world and makes you feel like you are part of it. Besides, I just love how Cream's Sunshine of your Love is used as Robert De Niro's theme in this film. Brilliant. If a soundtrack is able to have this much impact on you, then you know it has to be great. Overall, this is a near perfect film which only flaw is the pacing during the first viewing. Otherwise, this is probably the second greatest Gangster film of all time. Worth checking out.

• Drew S

  
  Mobster movies are boring.

• Sajin P

  
  To me, this was just a decent enough mob movie, and is way overrated to be considered among the greatest. Given the performances, would have liked to see Deniro's and Pesci's characters given some more screen time.

• Kristijonas F

  
  A Martin Scorsese mafioso-classic and easily one of the best movies of the decade.

Read all 20 featured audience ratings