Is it really based on a true story?

Yes. It's based on the life of Henry Hill, who was a real associate of the Lucchese crime family. Most of the major events, including the Lufthansa heist and the murder of Billy Batts, actually happened.

How much 'bad' language is actually in it?

A lot. It famously held the record for the most uses of the F-word for a long time (around 300 times). If you're watching with a kid, there's no escaping it.

Is there a lot of drug use?

The entire third act revolves around Henry's heavy cocaine use and trafficking. It's depicted very realistically as a chaotic, life-ruining habit.

Is it better than The Godfather?

That's the eternal debate. The Godfather is a slow-burn epic; Goodfellas is a fast-paced, visceral ride. Most modern viewers find Goodfellas easier to sit through because of its editing and energy.

Goodfellas – WISE Score & Parent Review | Screenwise

Goodfellas

Name: Screenwise
Author: Screenwise

movie1990

82%

WISE Score

Avg. Tomatometer

Martin Scorsese’s high-octane, cocaine-fueled tour through the mob that makes the 'glamour' of organized crime look like a one-way ticket to witness protection.

93%

→

Goodfellas

movie

R, 1990

82%

WISE Score

Avg. Tomatometer

Martin Scorsese’s high-octane, cocaine-fueled tour through the mob that makes the 'glamour' of organized crime look like a one-way ticket to witness protection.

93%

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93%

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Screenwise Verdict

Look, Goodfellas is quite possibly the greatest mob movie ever made. It’s fast, it’s loud, and it’s incredibly well-crafted. But let’s be clear: it is a sensory assault. It’s a movie where people get whacked over dinner and spend the rest of the night burying the body.

If you’re watching this with a teenager, you’re watching it for the craft and the cautionary tale. It’s not 'safe' by any stretch of the imagination, but it is undeniably great. It’s the kind of movie that changes how you look at movies.

Age Fit

This is strictly for older teens (16+) and adults. It’s an essential piece of cinema, but the level of violence and the sheer volume of profanity make it inappropriate for younger audiences. It’s a great 'rite of passage' movie for a high schooler who is starting to get serious about film.

WISE Breakdown

Wholesome

This is a story about people who lie, steal, and murder for a living. While it doesn't glorify them in the end, the lifestyle is portrayed with an intoxicating energy that isn't exactly 'wholesome' by any metric.

Imaginative

Scorsese's filmmaking is a masterclass in creative storytelling. From the legendary long takes to the way the soundtrack drives the narrative, it’s a high-water mark for cinematic imagination.

Safe

Extreme violence, constant profanity (the F-word is a punctuation mark here), heavy drug use, and some nudity. It is the definition of 'not for kids.'

Enriching

As a piece of cultural history and a study of the 'American Dream' gone toxic, it's incredibly enriching for mature viewers. It’s also one of the best-edited films ever made.

Parent Info

✓

Why It Might Be Great

Masterful Pacing that makes a two-and-a-half-hour runtime feel like thirty minutes.
Legendary Performances from Ray Liotta, Robert De Niro, and Joe Pesci—whose 'Funny how?' scene is a masterclass in tension.
The Soundtrack is essentially a character itself, perfectly capturing the era from the 1950s to the 1980s.
A Brutal Reality Check on the mafia; unlike The Godfather, this is about the guys on the street, and it’s much uglier.

⚠

What to Watch For

The Billy Batts murder scene is prolonged and visceral—it's a turning point that removes any romanticism from the mob life.
The final act is a drug-fueled panic attack involving heavy cocaine use and extreme paranoia that can be very stressful to watch.
The language is relentless; if you're sensitive to the F-word, this movie will be a difficult sit.

Conversation Starters

"Why do you think Henry Hill wanted to be a gangster so badly when he was a kid?"
"How does the movie change your perspective on the 'glamour' of the mafia by the end?"
"What did you think of the way Henry treated his wife, Karen, throughout the film?"
"Is there anyone in this movie you actually like, or are they all just different shades of bad?"

Deep Dive

The Anti-Godfather

While The Godfather is a Shakespearean tragedy about kings and princes, Goodfellas is a documentary-style dive into the gutter. Based on Nicholas Pileggi's book Wiseguy, it tells the true story of Henry Hill with a level of detail that feels almost voyeuristic.

The reason this movie holds up so well in 2026 isn't just the violence—it's the energy. Scorsese uses every trick in the book: freeze frames, voiceovers, and that famous three-minute Steadicam shot through the back of the Copacabana. It’s designed to make you feel as seduced by the lifestyle as Henry was, right before it slams the door on your fingers.

Why the Violence Matters

The violence in Goodfellas isn't 'cool' action-movie violence. It’s sudden, petty, and often pathetic. Joe Pesci’s Tommy DeVito is a walking trigger; he kills people over minor insults or just because he’s bored. For an older teen, this is a vital distinction. It shows that the 'respect' these men demand is actually just fear, and that fear eventually eats everyone alive.

The Final Descent

The last 20 minutes of the film—the 'May 11th, 1980' sequence—is some of the most influential filmmaking of the last 40 years. It’s a masterclass in portraying paranoia. Between the helicopters, the pasta sauce, and the cocaine, it’s a frantic, vibrating mess that perfectly mirrors Henry’s crumbling life. It’s the ultimate 'don't do drugs' PSA, far more effective than anything you'd see in a classroom.

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