AFI (1998) • AFI-094
Goodfellas
1990 • Martin Scorsese
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ABOUT THIS FILM
RUNTIME
146 min
FAMOUS QUOTE
“I’m funny how? Funny, like, I’m a clown? I amuse you?”
Martin Scorsese’s energetic crime drama follows Henry Hill’s rise within the world of organized crime. Beginning as a young errand boy for local mobsters, Henry gradually becomes immersed in the glamour and danger of Mafia life. Ray Liotta’s narration guides viewers through decades of criminal activity alongside volatile associates Jimmy Conway and Tommy DeVito. Scorsese’s dynamic camera work, rapid editing, and rock soundtrack create a vivid portrait of life inside the mob. Rather than romanticizing crime, the film exposes its paranoia and eventual downfall. Goodfellas remains one of the most influential and widely admired gangster films ever made.
Why it matters
- It endures because its core tensions (prison; florida; new york city) still feel modern, and the emotional turns land hard.
- It’s a masterclass in Drama, Crime storytelling—efficient scene work, memorable set-pieces, and choices that keep the tone confident.
- As a time-capsule and an influence engine, it’s a key snapshot of 1990—and you can feel its DNA in countless films that followed.
Watch for
- Recurring motifs and touchpoints (prison, florida, new york city, based on novel or book, gangster, mass murder)—notice how they show up, evolve, or get subverted scene-to-scene.
- How information is revealed (or withheld): pay attention to what you learn first, and what you only understand in hindsight.
- Performance details in close-ups—pauses, glances, and timing often do more than the lines.
- Transitions and visual rhymes: watch how the film connects scenes through matching images, sound bridges, or repeated blocking.
Vibe
Crime DramaGangster Rise-and-FallMob LifestyleVelocity & ExcessStreetwise GlamourParanoia & BetrayalAmerican UnderworldCocaine SpiralPop Needle-DropsModern Crime Classic
AFI RANK
1998: #94
2007: #92
▲Moved up 2 spots