GoodFellas (1990)

Martin Scorsese directs this twisty and bloody crime epic, following the rise of a young man through the mob, followed by his inevitable fall.

There’s a lot to like about GoodFellas. It’s stylish, compelling, disturbing, and occasionally laugh-out-loud funny. The long tracking shots in particular were a masterclass in camera work. The cast (Ray Liotta, Lorraine Bracco, Robert De Niro, and Joe Pesci, to name but a few) brought vivid life to the mob’s characters.

I could quibble about some minor things. For instance, at no point did 36-year-old Ray Liotta plausibly look like the 21-year-old he was playing in the first half of the movie. But these are small complaints.

And yet, I’m still unsure whether I enjoyed GoodFellas. Halfway through, I would have said that I loved the film. By the end of the two-and-a-half hours, I just felt exhausted.

But then, maybe that was the point.

Dinner Recommendations:

Spaghetti with marinara.