10 Movies Based On A True Story You Need To Watch Before You Die
4. Goodfellas
The saying goes that crime does not pay and in Henry Hill’s case, that was clearly the case. Eventually.
Goodfellas is based on the book Wiseguy by crime reporter Nicholas Pileggi. It tells the story of how Henry Hill rose up the ranks of a mafia crime family before becoming an informant and entering the witness protection programme.
The film is hailed as one the best depictions of organised crime ever made. From burying dead bodies of rival crime families, to high stakes robberies, Henry was at the heart of it all. It’s content and style was so authentic and shocking, that it has been emulated in numerous other films and tv series.
But the reason this particular mob story is so memorable and powerful is because of the story it tells and the incredible job done by both actors and director in bringing it to life.
Martin Scorsese had already proven his abilities as a director, with the likes of Mean Streets, Raging Bull and Taxi Driver. But his work on Goodfellas, combined with awesome performances from Ray Liotta and Robert De Niro and an Oscar winning performance from Joe Pesci, lead many to conclude that this is one of his best films.