This month’s film and TV non-fiction book selection is Nicholas Pileggi’s renowned Mafia crime biography, Wiseguy…
This review contains spoilers.
For many directors its all about the source material.
Or is something always lost in translation?
He saw a filmic potential in that story, and ended up withGoodfellas(1990).
Henry survives, and thrives, in an environment that kills many, and he has an amazing street-sense.
He can make money at just about anything without stepping on the toes of important people.
But, of course, none of them are.
InWiseguywe dont meet these incidental characters immediately.
InGoodfellasScorsese leads with them.
Heres where the film has a real advantage.
Its brilliant casting, not just in those roles, but throughout.
But it also means that Scorsese has us from the opening moments.
These are actors who provide instant watchability.
The honesty of the book is, I think, its real strength.
The fact that they both miss their past and would return to it in a heartbeat infuses their voices.
Its impossible to read the book and not see Hill as Ray Liotta.
Paulie is Paul Sorvino in the pages, and Karen is undoubtedly Lorraine Bracco.
And every event seems to come with its own perfect soundtrack.
Its impossible to judge.
Unfortunately for us all, those events were real.
The next Den of Geek book club choice isThe Girl With All the Giftsby M.R.
Kaci will be reviewing it on Monday 15thSeptember.
