How does Goodfellas compare to The Godfather?

Totally different films which happen to have the same basic subject matter.

Goodfellas is a celebration of the rise (and fall) of a mid-level hood whilst The Godfather revolves around duty, revenge and loyalty. They're both shot totally differently too.

As to which I prefer it usually depends on my mood - all things being equal it would be Goodfellas by a nose.

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Goodfellas was an updated version of the Godfather. I think of it as a grittier, newer version.

The Godfather was a throwback to the older, more opulent times of the Mafia, IMO. Lavish living in the city, etc.

Whereas, Goodfellas, and nowadays, the Sopranos (which I dislike), show the "families" as they have evolved. By the time you get to the Sopranos, the Mafia is largely diminished in their power and visible influence. Id say that Goodfellas is somewhere in the middle on that continuum.

Very good movie. Ray Liotta outdoes himself. Id classify it as a "must-see" for anyone who is into Mafia movies. And put it high on the list.

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Id classify it as a must see for anyone who likes to watch movies.

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I much prefer The Godfather. Goodfellas is very, very good, but somehow it leaves me a little cold. I never feel any compassion or sympathy for any of the characters, even Liotta's character.

The thing the really fascinates me about watching the Godfather is Michael's character arc. Pacino puts in an incredible performance, and that last shot of him as the new Godfather is really chilling.

You say that as if you're supposed to care about any of 'em, including Henry Hill. Ya ain't.

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Care about the children of the gangsters. Care about the children!

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They're different types of films.

Goodfellas (and Donnie Brasco) are considered much more realistic portrayals of mafia life than The Godfather. If you want to see a more accurate depiction of La Cosa Nostra then see Goodfellas and DB. They're based on books of true stories. The Godfather is based on a novel.

But I enjoyed The Godfather better. Some of the scenes in The Godfather just had me

Also:

The Godfather Part II > The Godfather

Never saw both of them.

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I think Goodfellas overall is the more energetic film, while Godfather is the established classic that just rumbles on. You can see the flaws in the Godfather and Goodfellas, but I feel that Goodfellas is a better film. It has more directing style, and the Godfather's status alone does not make greater.

Godfather is a classic, dealing with classical themes.
Goodfellas, like the story's characters, is a cheap impersonation of the classic. It stands on its own merit because it's a true depiction of it's sleazy characters, but it's a heartless film. It sets out to be. It's successfully heartless. But if you're asking which is better... Godfather, all the way. I adore Vito Corleone.

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How is Goodfellas an "impersonation" of Godfather?

They may both be about the mafia, but they're not similar movies.

Hmmmmm....Goodfellas or the Godfather. If you take parts I & II as a whole, I think they make up the better movie overall (the two movies together are long enough to show the entire history of the family in detail), but Goodfellas does a better job of telling a complete story in less time. I would put Casino right up there with these as another great mafia themed movie (another Scorsese masterpiece) and should be seen by anyone who would watch the Godfather and Goodfellas.

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Only in that it's a 'modern day mob flick'.
They're not similar, otherwise.

They are both classic gangster films. Both closer to truth than fiction.

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I agree about Goodfellas. Not The Godfather. That's based on a novel, and makes the Mafia seem more honorable, and I guess glorified.

Goodfellas is based on a true story, and for the most part, is pretty accurate with the book.

Of all the non-fiction books I've read about the Mafia and documentaries I've seen, they've all given the impression that Mafia life is not much like The Godfather, but more so like Goodfellas and Donnie Brasco, movies based on real-life stories of informants.

There's a reason for that. It's a reason that is hinted at in The Godfather, but not made plain. Italians had practically no protection by the law at the time that Vito Corleone would have come over. Their names were changed at Ellis Island so they'd sound "less italian", because racism was rampant. So in lieu of fair treatment by the established law, the Mafia had ample good cause to enforce their own. Had people been less ignorant and immigrants treated more fairly, there would have been no need of the Family to enforce order.

i think a lot of you got it wrong about Goodfellas and The godfather trilogy. In no way is Goodfellas like The Godfather besides the fact that they're both gangster movies. The Godfather revolves around the Don of an italian Gangster movie that has to make tough decisions and is often misunderstood by it or just misunderstoood. There used to be gang families like The Godfather. There might be some still today. Who knows? That's the angle the Godfather took. Goodfellas is totally different because Goodfellas is more of a documentary on the mafia life like how they acted around normal people, how they operated, how/what they thought about things etc. It's a three decade walkthrough of a man that really lived the life and he tells it like it is. It also goes at a much faster pace than the Godfather's and isn't as dramatic. I think a better comparison would be Goodfellas to Scarface even than to the Godfather and I only say that because Scorcese made 'Goodfellas' because Scarface which he wanted to make was already done. But even those two movies are nothing alike. It's hard to say which one I like better because Goodfellas and The Godfather concentrate their efforts in different fields of the same genere. For replay value, I'd say Goodfellas is better because it doesn't drag on as much as the Godfathers making it more entertaining to watch. But for a piece of cinema art, I'd say the Godfather is better even though Goodfellas is definitely up there. No person as ever portrayed an italian gangster as memorable as Marlon Brando without a doubt. He is "The Godfather" and you can't screw with that but personally, My favorite gangster film is Scarface. The Ruthlessnes of Pacino attracts me more and there are so many good lines that are just purely great and not as Sappy as the Godfather even though there are great lines in that movie two but are more dramatically great. Tony Montana's character was great because something would come up that you'd be sure would kill him and he'd just be like "What! Are you kidding me! I'll fukin..!" I just love that ruthless drive to always suuceed and exceed expectations. And nothing phased him unlike the other two movies. Tony Montana would just get mad then which was freaken great. There's my two cents on the later gangster movie greats. I just wish Alexander was as good as Scarface. Man, that movie was garbage.

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what makes me prefer goodfellas rather than the godfather is the conversations among the mobsters and the way story told by henry hill.
there are 3 conversations that i never forget. the first one is the kidding of tommy with henry(what the f.ck is so funny about me?) the second is how billy batts insults tommy.(go get your f.cking shinebox) and the third is how spider shot. also de niro 's "are you stupid or what" is unforgettable.
though this movie has a simpler scenerio than godfather, conversations, mimics and relationships are much more realistic. What makes this movie a masterpiece are the details in other words, which is the style of scorsese.

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hello i'm new here, so please be gentle. lol
i still liked Godfather more than Goodfellas. I just love how Al pacino acts. he's a really great actor. The story was also great!
If you like gangster flicks there's a new one coming out this september. It's The Business movie.