Joe M

...said a couple exiting the movie theater just as I was entering to watch this. Hmm, not a good sign, but who knows? Different strokes for different folks, after all. Well, nope. They were being kind. Godard has released work that is passionate (Contempt), entertaining (Band of Outsiders), sometimes both (My Life to Live). This is just dull intellectualism, that grates on the nerves pretty quickly. During my showing, literally half of the audience had walked out by the end of the film. If only I had been so wise.

Entertaining movie, and the enthusiasm and masterful touch Scorsese spreads throughout is undeniable. I even liked Don Rickles' surprisingly wonderful performance, and it's always cool to see L.Q. Jones, no matter how brief. But REALLY...I liked this movie better the first time, when it was called "Goodfellas." The voice-overs, freeze-shots, the overweight mobsters, the gaudy garb, the psycho Joe Pesci character, the standards-cum-classic rock soundtrack, the "rise and fall of an empire" plot...c'mon. Even Scorsese's mom (God bless--I know this was her last appearance) seems to be atypically hamming it up in this one, with the "Ay"s and "'atsa matta you"s. A movie that ventures dangerously close to self-parody. And Scorsese's worth more than that.

This film is a meditation on the simple things which make us human, set in the familiarity of the dinner table. A celebration of community, sacrifice, and the basic human pulses that ultimately transcend social class. Highly recommended.