"As far back as I can remember, I always wanted to be a gangster." One of the biggest criticisms leveled at Martin Scorcese is that he has a tendency to glamorize the mob. That's a dubious assertion for most of his films, but it's definitely true of Goodfellas, and the first line of the movie speaks to that. This is a man who has romanticized the idea of being a gangster since childhood. It wasn't something he fell into, it was a career that he actively sought out, one that he stuck with even after seeing all the darker aspects of the profession, and one that he experienced pretty much no negative repercussions from.
Audrey Fox is an ex-film student, which means that she prefers to spend her days in the dark, watching movies and pondering the director's use of diegetic sound. She currently works as an entertainment writer, joyfully rambling about all things film and television related. Add her on Twitter at @audonamission and check out her film blog at 1001moviesandbeyond.com.
