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Goodfellas

year 1990decade 90sdirector Martin Scorsesegenre Crimegenre Drama

146 minutes

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Cast

Selected cast credits · Film reference

Robert De Niro James "Jimmy" Conway
Ray Liotta Henry Hill
Christopher Serrone Young Henry
Joe Pesci Tommy DeVito
Joseph D'Onofrio Young Tommy
Lorraine Bracco Karen Hill
Paul Sorvino Paulie Cicero
Frank Sivero Frankie Carbone
Tony Darrow Sonny Bunz
Mike Starr Frenchy

Goodfellas | The Rewatchables

host Bill Simmonshost Chris Ryanhost Sean Fennesseyproducer Craig Horlbeck
Explore episodeClose episode

The Coach Finstock Award for Best Life Lesson

The panel explicitly lists ten darkly comic lessons about made men, post-heist spending, airports, mob ownership, cocaine, violence, loyalty, dating, crew executions, and divorce.

In the discussion (10)
Approx. transcript time · 00:29:08Read transcript
  • Do not kill a made man, because it will come back to hurt you.
  • After a massive heist, do not buy anything fancy; lie low.
  • When you need money, rob an airport.
  • Do not make a mob boss your silent restaurant partner.
  • If you sell cocaine, do not use it.
  • If you truly hate someone, shoot them in the face so their mother cannot hold an open-casket funeral.
  • Never rat on your friends, and always keep your mouth shut.
  • If a new boyfriend pistol-whips someone in front of you, reconsider ending up with him.
  • If you are part of a crew, nobody tells you they are going to kill you.
  • The bonus lesson is not to get divorced.

Most Rewatchable Scene

Two audible final choices favor the Billy Batts sequence continuing into Tommy’s mother’s house; another final choice favors the funny-guy exchange, after a broad scene-by-scene field.

In the discussion (20)
Approx. transcript time · 00:54:30Read transcript
  • The opening trunk murder is nominated.
  • Young Henry’s first arrest and celebration are nominated.
  • The Bamboo Lounge introductions are nominated.
  • The funny-guy exchange is nominated and receives one final choice.
  • Sonny complaining to Paulie about the restaurant is nominated.
  • The Copacabana tracking shot is nominated.
  • Billy Batts insulting Tommy is nominated.
  • The continuation at Tommy’s mother’s house is nominated; two final choices favor the combined sequence.
  • Spider being shot and later killed is nominated.
  • Henry lying to Paulie about Billy Batts is nominated as the moment the movie turns toward lies and horror.
  • Karen holding a gun on Henry is nominated as a horror-like sequence.
  • Henry learning of the Lufthansa heist in the shower is nominated, along with its Shining homage.
  • The post-heist gaudy purchases are nominated.
  • Jimmy sizing up Morrie in slow motion is nominated.
  • Morrie’s murder is nominated.
  • The Layla corpse montage is nominated and praised as operatic.
  • Tommy’s execution and Jimmy’s phone-booth reaction are nominated.
  • The cocaine-and-helicopter day is nominated for replicating the sensation of Henry’s paranoia.
  • Karen’s assault and Henry’s pistol-whipping retaliation are nominated.
  • The wives’ social scene is nominated for portraying a part of the mob world usually unseen.

What’s Aged the Best?

The young Henry performance, freeze frames, Sopranos connections, narration, comedy, color, wigs, music, food, the unseen Lufthansa heist, and Henry and Karen’s fights lead a dense aged-best field.

In the discussion (17)
Approx. transcript time · 01:31:40Read transcript
  • The young Henry performer is praised.
  • The freeze-frame device remains effective.
  • Tommy asking Henry to go on the double date is praised.
  • The extensive Sopranos casting connections reward later viewings.
  • The narration is praised despite one host’s general dislike of narration.
  • The corpse-excavation joke remains startling.
  • Alec Baldwin’s De Niro impression gives the film added comic afterlife.
  • The wedding’s repeated Italian names are praised.
  • The pistol-whipping sequence remains forceful.
  • Its bright-green suburban palette is contrasted with the film’s usual red, blue, and black.
  • The high ratio of conspicuous wigs is praised as character detail.
  • The soundtrack is praised.
  • The movie’s food scenes make the panel hungry.
  • The prison visit and children’s eagerness to see Uncle Paulie are singled out as a darkly funny family detail.
  • Not showing the Lufthansa heist is praised as a budget-saving and story-centering choice.
  • Henry and Karen’s fights are praised for their raw intimacy and continuing attraction.
  • The music is praised as a seamless 25-year snapshot of American popular music.

What’s Aged the Worst?

Sopranos associations, Janice’s casting, two later Lufthansa adaptations, a BC-basketball reference, ketchup on pasta, Boogie Nights echoes, and pre-9/11 airline cocaine transport make up the explicit aged-worst field.

In the discussion (7)
Approx. transcript time · 01:40:54Read transcript
  • Michael Imperioli’s later identity as Christopher Moltisanti can overwhelm Spider.
  • Janice is criticized as an underpowered choice for Henry’s girlfriend.
  • Two later films about the Lufthansa heist are mentioned as apparently unsuccessful afterlives.
  • A Boston College basketball reference prompts a dated personal association.
  • Ketchup on pasta is condemned.
  • Boogie Nights’ overt homage can make its Janice-apartment echo intrude on later Goodfellas viewings.
  • Carrying cocaine on commercial airlines is judged far harder now than before 9/11.

The Ruffalo / Hanna / Rubinek / Partridge Overacting Award

Morrie and Liotta’s flushed-cocaine reaction are the eligible finalists; Liotta’s funny-guy laugh is raised but ruled ineligible, and the flushed-cocaine reaction is favored.

In the discussion (3)
Approx. transcript time · 01:56:33Read transcript
  • Liotta’s funny-guy laugh is raised but ruled ineligible.
  • Morrie is nominated.
  • Liotta’s reaction when Karen says she flushed the cocaine is favored.

Apex Mountain

The panel runs apex judgments across Scorsese, gangster movies, a director rivalry, the Copacabana, gangster names, De Niro, garlic, Lufthansa, Pesci, mob codes, pistol-whipping, wigs, prison sauce, Bracco, Sorvino, profanity, Cutty Sark, and Pittsburgh drug dealers.

In the discussion (17)
Approx. transcript time · 02:04:42Read transcript
  • Scorsese is selected at his artistic apex, with The Departed raised as a later juice-based alternative.
  • Goodfellas is called a capstone for gangster movies before the form moved to television.
  • The Scorsese–De Palma rivalry is placed at its apex around November 1990.
  • The Goodfellas Copacabana sequence is favored over Barry Manilow’s song for the name “Copacabana.”
  • Movie-gangster names are called an unquestionable apex.
  • De Niro’s apex is debated between his late-1970s/early-1980s run and 1990-era juice.
  • Razor-blading garlic is called a one-of-one apex.
  • Goodfellas is treated as the apex for the Lufthansa heist.
  • Joe Pesci is placed in an apex run spanning Lethal Weapon 2 through Casino.
  • “It is what it is” from The Irishman is favored among mob murder-code justifications.
  • The film is selected as an apex for pistol-whipping on film.
  • Mobster wigs and prison tomato sauce receive affirmative apex rulings.
  • Ray Liotta and Lorraine Bracco receive affirmative apex rulings.
  • Paul Sorvino’s apex remains unresolved against his long career.
  • Henny Youngman is rejected, while the word “fucko” receives an affirmative apex ruling.
  • Cutty Sark is discussed as a once-prominent drink rarely seen now.
  • Pittsburgh drug dealers receive a final joking apex nomination.

Sequel, Prequel, Limited Series, or All-Black Remake

A ten-episode series centered on Lufthansa or told from the police side is proposed, but the police-side version is judged potentially uninteresting because the gangsters were already widely known and protected by corruption.

In the discussion (3)
Approx. transcript time · 02:23:43Read transcript
  • A ten-episode series could center on the Lufthansa heist.
  • A police-side version is proposed.
  • The police-side idea is qualified because the mobsters were well known and protected through corruption until federal prosecution and RICO changed the system.

What Piece of Memorabilia Would You Want From This Movie?

The Cadillac, living room, crucifix, painting, and bar fixtures are proposed.

In the discussion (5)
Approx. transcript time · 02:29:50Read transcript
  • A Cadillac is proposed.
  • The living-room furniture is proposed.
  • Karen’s crucifix is proposed.
  • Tommy’s mother’s painting is proposed.
  • Owning a bar like the Bamboo Lounge or Suite Lounge is proposed.

Who Won the Movie?

Martin Scorsese wins through three explicit choices; Pesci, De Niro, and Liotta are discussed as alternatives, followed by a debate over whether Scorsese’s Oscar loss helped his later stature.

In the discussion (3)
Approx. transcript time · 02:30:45Read transcript
  • Three audible choices explicitly select Martin Scorsese.
  • Pesci, De Niro, and Liotta are discussed as plausible alternatives if the film were not itself one of the great American movies.
  • The panel asks whether losing Best Director for Goodfellas helped build the later campaign to recognize Scorsese.
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