If you loved
GoodFellas
Martin Scorsese · Film · 1990
What hooked you in GoodFellas was the way the seductive allure of criminal power inevitably collapses under the weight of moral decay.
Start with the source
The source
Wiseguy
Frank Lupo · Series · 1987
Books on the same thread
Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing
Matthew Perry · Book · 2022
Just as GoodFellas charts the dizzying rise and painful disintegration of Henry Hill, this memoir provides a raw, unflinching look at the devastating personal cost of living life at the extreme.
The Outsiders
S. E. Hinton · Book · 1967
The intense loyalty and internal codes of conduct seen in GoodFellas find a teenage reflection here, capturing the same dangerous tribalism that defines life for outsiders living on the edge.
The Goldfinch
Donna Tartt · Book · 2013
The descent into a gritty, dangerous underworld seen in GoodFellas is mirrored here, as the protagonist discovers how easily one can be consumed by the dark consequences of illicit obsession.
Angela's Ashes
Frank McCourt · Book · 1996
If the visceral, grounded storytelling of GoodFellas resonated with you, this memoir offers a similarly stark, authentic exploration of how environment and poverty shape a man's struggle for survival.
Series on the same thread
Godfather of Harlem
Chris Brancato · Series · 2019
This series captures the same complex power dynamics and turf wars that defined the mob life in GoodFellas, focusing on a man fighting to reclaim his status in a changing world.
Vincenzo
Series · 2021
While it blends dark comedy with high-stakes crime, this drama echoes the stylistic flair of GoodFellas, showing how an outsider navigates the lethal, rigid hierarchies of a powerful mafia organization.
The Sopranos
David Chase · Series · 1999
The definitive successor to the themes of GoodFellas, this series masterfully balances the brutal demands of organized crime with the fracturing personal life of a man leading a double existence.
The Black Donnellys
Paul Haggis · Series · 2007
These brothers navigate the same treacherous moral landscape as the characters in GoodFellas, where family loyalty and criminal ambition collide with inevitable and often violent, life-altering consequences for everyone involved.
Podcasts on the same thread
Criminal
Vox Media Podcast Network · Podcast · 2026
This podcast explores the moral ambiguity found in GoodFellas by focusing on the fascinating, often blurred lines between those who break the law and those caught in the fallout.
To Live and Die in LA
Tenderfoot TV & Audacy · Podcast · 2023
Much like the real-life crime reporting that fueled the narrative of GoodFellas, this investigation pulls back the curtain on systemic corruption, revealing the dangerous truths hidden beneath the surface.
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Common questions
Is GoodFellas based on a true story?
Yes, GoodFellas is the true story of Henry Hill. The film depicts the life of a half-Irish, half-Sicilian Brooklyn kid who is adopted by neighbourhood gangsters at an early age and rises through the ranks of the criminal underworld.
Should I watch Wiseguy if I enjoyed GoodFellas?
If you enjoyed the narrative style and subject matter of GoodFellas, you may find Wiseguy interesting. It serves as an adaptation that shares thematic similarities with the story of Henry Hill and the criminal lifestyle portrayed in the 1990 film.
Is GoodFellas a Martin Scorsese film?
Yes, GoodFellas is a 1990 movie directed by Martin Scorsese. The film chronicles the life of Henry Hill, a Brooklyn youth who immerses himself in the world of organized crime after being taken under the wing of local gangsters.
What is the source material for GoodFellas?
GoodFellas is based on the true account of Henry Hill. The film explores his life as a half-Irish, half-Sicilian boy from Brooklyn who becomes involved with local mobsters. It remains a definitive portrayal of the criminal lifestyle he experienced throughout his youth.