That's right, another slightly dated movie reviewed by yours truly. Only in the last year have I discovered the gangster-film genre, in the forms of Scorcese and Tarantino mostly, but they've already become some of my favourite movies. Enjoy the review!
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It’s hard not to be expecting good things when you sit down to watch a movie that won an Oscar (best actor in a supporting role to Joe Pesci), along with another thirty-four awards and eighteen more nominations on top of that. Equally it’s hard not to be swayed by such a massive public opinion and critical acclaim. The key is of course to go into a film such as this with a clean slate and as little of an opinion to begin with, but even if I was trying to do this I admit that I was probably examining the film just a little more closely than I would on a general watch, looking out for what apparently made this piece of cinema so special.
After just a few minutes, the answers to that question just start jumping out at you. One of the key devices used in the narrative of the film is the constant narration from one of the lead characters, be it that of Henry Hill (Ray Liotta) or of his wife Karen (Lorraine Bracco). While this ‘internal monologue’ is hardly a new innovation in moviemaking technique, the way that it is split between the two characters is very clever. In this way, instead of being subjected to one point of view, we are subjected to two. From the start of the film we, as an audience, develop a bond with Liotta’s character, and our sympathies are directed toward him, whether he is committing acts of questionable legality, or being beaten on by his father. However, when the second layer of narration is introduced, we are provided with a whole different look on the events of the film, and it is that of an outsider. From Karen’s point of view, we can see the effect that Henry’s occupation is having on his family and on himself; something that he is blind to. Moreover, the fact that our sympathies are jumping between two main characters gives us a much more objective view on the conflicts that occur, and this is vital, as conflict is a major theme of the film.
On the subject of the themes behind the film, Goodfellas, being a gangster film by genre, also explores this occupation, or rather way of life, in a way that completely involves the audience. We can see very clearly the two distinct halves of the gangster lifestyle; the first, where being a gangster simply means being part of a family where you look out for everyone and everyone looks out for you, and when you’ve got a problem, there will always be people there to help you out, and the second half, which is the gritty underside. This is the half in which people are beaten to death, shot down and buried after a bumpy trip in the boot of a car. The fact that we see both the sides of the gangster’s life equally is key to the constant intensity and pressure that is always dwelling beneath the surface of the film’s storyline.
Much of said intensity is both embodied and radiates from the character of Tommy DeVito (Joe Pesci). He is at once the fun guy everyone wants to hang around with, and one scary son of a bitch. The way in which he can flick between easygoing and lethal in an instant is spectacular, and is executed perfectly by Pesci. He serves as an onscreen reminder that every action committed has consequences, and in this way is more of an instrument of theatrical tension than a mere character.
Now, to talk somewhat about the cinematography of the piece. The direction by the acclaimed Martin Scorsese, the force behind Taxi Driver (1976) and later Casino (1995) and The Departed (2006) is something to behold. The action is swift in fast both from a micro perspective and a macro, narrative altering one. I could write an entire review based on that one famous tracking shot that descends across a street, between cars, down a couple of flights of stairs, through a kitchen full of people, and into a crowded restaurant in a single take, accompanied by lines from the actors. I don’t know how Scorsese managed to pull this trick off, but it worked beautifully. This one shot really immerses an audience, because it is here that we realize that the direction isn’t confining us to a simple set, but we are really spectators in a physical world that can be moved around and through as needed. The same, though to a lesser extent, can be said for the shot that slices through the restaurant the first time, when we are introduced to various minor characters who all nod their heads and greet us; this is cinema gold right here. The way that we as spectators are also enveloped into the story of the film is one of its greatest achievements.
Another couple of tricks used in the direction to masterful effect are audio bridges and freezeframes, which are micro devices since they do nothing to alter or advance the plot, but instead give the cinematography a polished, stylish feel to go with the depth of the internal narration we are provided with.
What I refer to by the ‘macro element’ is the way that the narrative can freely jump from one point in time to two, four, seven years later in the characters’ lives. Ordinarily this would leave a gaping vacuum in the story, but thanks to the strength of the actors in the film, this is a technique that can be pulled off in a slick way that doesn’t falter or stop the flow of the narrative at all.
It’s difficult to find negative aspects to Goodfellas, but you might say that the narrative, although nicely conducted, was oddly constructed. Apart from the introduction of the characters, nothing really happens in the entire first half of the film. It is only a good hour and a half in that events pick up with the robbery and the deaths, and even then it’s difficult to tell whether you’re watching the climax of the film or just still on the upwards climb.
To conclude, Goodfellas is both an excellent piece of cinema and a deeply involving study of true events in recent history. The seamless performances and revolutionary direction easily lives up to its reputation and stands the test of time, and it is easy to see why it is a movie that has influenced gangster and crime-based films well into the next decade.
My rating:
* * * *
(4/5 Stars)
- J. Boulton
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