Martin Scorsese didn’t invent the mob movie. But it’s safe to say that Goodfellas changed the gangster film forever. Gone were the Cagney days of dirty rats and Tommy Guns and Copolla’s family-oriented mafia scratching out a life in America while remembering to take the cannoli and leave the gun.
Goodfellas doubled-down on the idea of the likable wiseguy next-door — a relatable character with one foot in our world and the other in the underworld, capable of being the funny, generous guy cracking jokes one minute and the murderous maniac unloading a slew of slugs into some poor schmuck’s temple the next.
And with that psychopathic charisma comes a certain language — lines and sayings that can be as humorous as they are deadly — ones that have worked their way right into our modern-day notion of the gangster.
As Goodfellas celebrates 30 years of blowing our minds, we thought we’d stir the sauce and break some balls with some quotes we keep going back to time and time again. We hope they amuse you!
“As far back as I can remember, I always wanted to be a gangster.”
“How ya doin’?”
“Never rat on your friends … and always keep your mouth shut.”
“I’m funny how? Funny like I’m a clown? I amuse you? I make you laugh? I’m here to fuckin’ amuse you?”
“I’m breakin’ balls here.”
Click ahead for more classic Goodfellas quotes…
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