The 25th anniversary of “GoodFellas” is quickly approaching, and in honor of the classic film, Post movie critic Kyle Smith penned a column about how women just don’t get “GoodFellas” — and it caused a firestorm of reactions across the Internet. Take a look at what some of our readers had to say:
Margarita Noriega, Washington, DC; editor
Please tell me what to do @rkylesmith I am a lady but I like GoodFellas should I change my gender or just stop liking the film
Justine A. Grille
Me annnnnnd my 40Ds furiously disagree. Goodfellas has been in my top ten all-time favorite movies list since its release. #notallwomen
Alex Rothenberg
Women couldn’t tell this story? One of the film editors, the casting chief and one of the executive producers were women!
Damon Cherico
Ironically enough, I was flicking through the channels a few years ago and “goodfellas” was on . . . so I watched . . . and I kept noticing the commercials were definitely female oriented . . . Then there was a trailer for a Lifetime movie. Thought it was weird, but kept watching. About half an hour later I realized the movie was being shown on the Lifetime channel. Sooo . . . What does that say about this article?
Elizabeth May, Edinburgh, Scotland; photographer and author
First women can’t science, then we don’t understand Goodfellas, and now we’re writing romance wrong. Welp that’s enough Internet for today.
Carl Copeland
‘To a woman, the “GoodFellas” are lowlifes.’ Not to the women in the film, who have more impact on the narrative than you’re implying.
‘It’s more of a male fantasy picture — “Entourage” with guns instead of swimming pools, the Rat Pack minus tuxedos.’ Erm not is not, Goodfellas may look like fun at first, until it descends into paranoia and madness, I certainly don’t envy the lifestyle, hence Scorsese’s moral dilemma. I think you have completely misread the film. Ridiculous.
PermanentMidnight1
Wow. Sexist and ignorant much? I’m a woman and Goodfellas is one of my all time favorite movies. I’ve probably seen it 60 times. I don’t know any women that don’t love it.
I couldn’t get through your whole article because it was such idiotic blathering, but I read in the comments you made mention that women would react negatively. Apparently, that’s the only smart assumption you’ve made, as if you are going to make a ridiculous statement about an entire gender based on your lack of knowledge about said gender, that’s bound to happen. Bravo for seeing something Stevie Wonder could see.
By the way, I hate, absolutely hate Sex in the City. The story of some self absorbed hags that never mature or change for the better in the history of the show or movies. And Charlotte would never be friends with any of them IRL. I can’t understand its popularity or longevity. I’d rather watch Goodfellas as I do understand its popularity and longevity. However, I’m not sure you do.
Kelley Youman
At its core, “Goodfellas” is not about ball busting. Or crime. It’s about relationships – the family we’re born into and the family we choose. To say I don’t “understand” my favorite movie (and one which I based a thesis on in college) just because I have breasts is as ridiculous as Henry Hill expecting decent spaghetti in witness protection.
Eileen Geisen Harvey
Actually, I don’t think Kyle Smith, the author of this article, understands this movie. This is a great movie, based on a true story, about a guy NOT having “the backs” of his buddies. De Niro and Pesci were not “bustin each others chops” they were psychotic. Men and women like it because it’s a great story and the actors do a great job.
Pee Gee Pee
Sorry writer of this bogus “article” I’m a very feminine woman who loves this movie and any Scorsese flick. We appreciate the acting, directing, and the soundtrack. I also happen to dig “dude” movies more than chick flicks.
Jennifer More, from Wilmington, Delaware
Seriously?? Goodfellas is one of my top ten favorite films. I quote it frequently. There’s so much more going on in that film, not to mention it’s based on you know, real people, which makes it more fascinating. So guess what, there are women out there who love this film, as you see our comments on here attributing to that fact. So, either you wrote this piece to start some crap, or you just are really that clueless, hahaha. It’s comical. Good to see you admitted you were a jerk, it’s coming through. To quote Henry Hill back at ya, “Get the f–k outta here.”
Paul Dicandia, from St. Louis, Missouri
Almost every girl I know loves Goodfellas. It crosses gender and even racial lines. Everyone loves it. If someone says that they dont, they are either a liar or not capable of forming a real opinion
Erin Gloria Ryan, NYC; editor, writer
look: it’s not that i don’t “understand” goodfellas, it’s that i can’t even stand to look at men