GoodFellas

"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."

Ray Liotta's words, spoken as Henry Hill, sum it all up. This is what this movie is about. About a young kid who saw gangsters and mafiosi do whatever they wanted and wanted to be like them. A story of simple childish desire turning him into a violent gangster, forced to make tough decisions every single step.

With Ray Liotta as Henry Hill, Robert De Niro as Jimmy Conway, Joe Pesci as Tommy DeVito, the casting was done admirably. Based on Nick Pileggi's book 'Wiseguy', it follows the rise and fall of the Lucchese crime family associates Henry Hill and his friends over the course of thirty years. The considerable issue in adapting a book for the screen is the extent of the director's input. However, this is where Scorsese delivers a masterclass leaving his own imprint on a film that barely deviates from the source material.

The central themes are many and all of them are rooted in violence and guilt. Whether it be Tommy's temper that flares up like napalm, or Henry's pistol whipping of a neighbour for trying to hit on Karen (Lorraine Bracco ) or countless other scenes. However, amidst all this, there are other things to think about. Why does Karen love a man, who gave her a gun to hide ? Is it his power she loves or the man himself ?

Scorsese's Catholic roots are visible in their entirety. The guilt of the characters is palpable because of how they never thought that this was what they signed up for. After Henry's Mafia career is nipped in the bud, he starts selling drugs and is unable to give it all up, because violence and crime are all that he has now. The guilt that dogs him is not one of being a criminal but of betraying the one he considered comrades.

A special mention would be in order for Karen who does a brilliant job as the wife of Henry Hill. Her emotions are told from her view and she is not the silent spectator that most Mafia films mistake women to be. Her morals turn scrupulous and shady because of her husband and maybe more importantly due to her access to the power that he wields.

The plot is almost a sidenote to the characters who reveal themselves in due time,enthralling us with their naivete and brutality in equal measure. Scenes such as where Henry's father beats him up for 'not going to school' of all reasons are littered throughout the film provoking thought and seeing things in the larger context. If i had to choose a single scene that would sum it all up, it would be one closer to the end where Henry attempts a cocaine deal, cooks a meal for his family, assures his mistress, all the while wondering if he's being followed.

There have been gangster films before and after, but none of them may have reached a greater height. 'The Godfather' remains arguably the most stirring Mafia testament ever but 'GoodFellas' provides it fair competition with it's sinful portrayal  of violence interwoven with guilt.