GoodFellas

Henry Hill grows up on the streets of Brooklyn where local mobsters become his role models, and he slips into organized crime as easily as into a neighborhood habit. The story follows his climb from small-time runner to trusted associate of Jimmy Conway and Paul Cicero, showing the perks, the betrayals, and the everyday violence that come with that life. Alongside Tommy DeVito and his wife Karen, Henry moves deeper into the Mafia world, enjoying money, power, and danger. The film traces his changing loyalties and the costs of living outside the law, without giving away how things end.

Directed by Martin Scorsese and released in 1990, the movie was adapted from Nicholas Pileggi's nonfiction book Wiseguy, with Pileggi helping to craft the screenplay. It stars Ray Liotta, Robert De Niro, Joe Pesci, Lorraine Bracco, and Paul Sorvino.

GoodFellas earned several Academy Award nominations, including nods for Best Picture and Best Director, and Joe Pesci won the Oscar for Best Supporting Actor for his volatile, unpredictable performance.

Certain scenes and images from the film have become part of film lore, especially the long tracking shot through the Copacabana nightclub and intense dialogue moments that stuck with audiences. Lines from the movie and Pesci's explosive energy are often referenced in other films, TV shows, and pop culture lists about gangster cinema.

Critics praised the movie for its raw, clear-eyed portrayal of criminal life, reflected in strong ratings and enduring admiration, including its 8.452 average from voters. It examines loyalty, ambition, and the seductive pull of quick money, while refusing to glamorize the violence and moral decay that follow. Performances, editing, and Scorsese's kinetic direction keep the pace brisk, making the film feel immediate and unflinching.