Goodfellas 1990

Dave Kehr, Chicago Tribune: The most profoundly Catholic of contemporary filmmakers, Scorsese has here imagined a world without the slightest notion of sin-everything is permitted, and he is both fascinated and appalled by the total freedom of his characters. Read more

Gene Siskel, Chicago Tribune: All of the performances are first-rate; Pesci stands out, though, with his seemingly unscripted manner. GoodFellas is easily one of the year`s best films. Read more

Sheila Benson, Los Angeles Times: GoodFellas, which somehow mixes its horrors with a deep vein of mordant humor, flows with the exuberance of a filmmaker who has every detail nailed and a few new lovely moves he wants to show us. Read more

Jay Boyar, Orlando Sentinel: Robert De Niro gives what has come to be a typical Robert De Niro performance -- understated, sly, ingratiating. Joe Pesci, as the hot-tempered Tommy, steals several scenes from his fellow performers. Read more

Desmond Ryan, Philadelphia Inquirer: In GoodFellas, Scorsese, that connoisseur of mean streets and brutish, reflexive rage, has fashioned a stunning film that belongs on the same lonely, top shelf as Coppola's Mafia saga. Read more

John Hartl, Seattle Times: GoodFellas is an appalling masterpiece of the kind that, along with New York's current well-publicized troubles, is likely to give pause to anyone planning to make a trip to the city. Read more

Vincent Canby, New York Times: Goodfellas looks and sounds as if it must be absolutely authentic. Read more

Jonathan Rosenbaum, Chicago Reader: May well be the most accomplished thing Scorsese's ever done. Read more

Owen Gleiberman, Entertainment Weekly: In GoodFellas, director Martin Scorsese does something simple and audacious: He takes the guilt out of organized crime. Read more

Kathleen Carroll, New York Daily News: One remains detached from the characters, but Scorsese succeeds in smashing all the foolishly romantic myths about the mob with this shocking, vigorously honest portrait of a slick yuppie gangster who couldn't stand being "an average nobody." Read more

James Berardinelli, ReelViews: It is not a coincidence that Scorsese's three masterpieces all star Robert De Niro. Read more

Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times: No finer film has ever been made about organized crime. Read more

Peter Travers, Rolling Stone: Spanning thirty years and running two and a half hours, the film bristles with the violent passion, howitzer wit and virtuoso style that made Scorsese's reputation with the gangster drama Mean Streets in 1973. Read more

Richard Corliss, TIME Magazine: You walk away, tantalized by a view into the darkest part of yourself, glad that that part is still behind bars. Read more

Geoff Andrew, Time Out: Scorsese's fast, violent, stylish mobster movie is a return to form. Read more

Joseph McBride, Variety: Colorful but dramatically unsatisfying. Read more

Desson Thomson, Washington Post: The performances by everyone are stunning, standout. Read more