Nice article this - and well observed. I agree that Goodfellas is a masterpiece. I’d go as far as to say that I think it’s Scorsese’s best film in a catalogue of exceptional films.

I generally agree with your central premise too. With a certain caveat.

I think you’re right that this is no glorification of the life, rather a non-judgmental portrayal that leaves it up the audience to make a decision about whether they like the characters or not.

That said, I do think that Scorsese deliberately focuses towards the glamorous and more anti-hero cool element in the film. But it’s done for a specific reason. In reality we can all be guilty of being sucked in by a bit of glamour and charisma, lured by the thrall of someone with a bit of edge, maybe a bit of power. Which makes the sucker punch all the more debilitating when the facade drops and the reality emerges.

It’s brilliant film making from a masterful director. I do think however that it falls flat for me in Wolf of Wall Street where I found Scorsese for once got the tone wrong in portraying people who seem, in every aspect to be irredeemably awful.

Great article, thanks for publishing, I really enjoyed reading it.