Being a mobster can be a bit of a mixed bag. Sure you can have all the atrocious pinky rings, oily hair, and pressed suits you could ever wish for, but at what cost? According to Goodfellas, the 1990 mob movie following the life of actual former gangster Henry Hill directed by the master of mob movies Martin Scorcese, that cost is a Shakespearean fall from grace attended by all manner of marital strife, drug-induced paranoia, and overweight, balding dads telling you that you can just “fugeddabout” going on living if you cross them. Harrowing stuff. Still, like a middle schooler challenged to down a ghost pepper in one bite in front of their cheering friends, the allure of fame and power can be an overwhelming force, even in the face of terrible danger. That’s enough about Nathan’s emergency room-destined seventh grade sleepover, though, because we have a movie to get to! Goodfellas is beloved by many and often lifted up as an example of its prestigious director’s finest work, but I must admit, the Magellans have never been the movie’s most enthusiastic proponents. In the interest of offering a balanced perspective, then, we’ve invited Goodfellas aficionado Jake Brend, whose notable achievements include growing a beard and doing our intro, onto the podcast to mock-sorry, I mean patiently listen to his argument about why this movie deserves its lauded status. And action!
