Best Movies like GoodFellas (1990)

Casino explores the ascent and eventual downfall of those entrenched in organized crime, similarly reflecting GoodFellas' focus on criminal hierarchies, personal loyalty, and violent ambition within American Mafia circles. Both films detail the internal dynamics and consequences for those rising through the ranks in mob-related lifestyles.

In Las Vegas, two best friends--a casino executive and a Mafia enforcer--compete for a gambling empire and a fast-living, fast-loving socialite. Casino is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 2h 59m runtime, released in 1995 with an average rating of 8.0 by 6,638 people. The movie made an estimated total of $116,112,375 in the box office.

The Irishman, like GoodFellas, follows a man's personal journey through decades entrenched in organized crime, depicting changing loyalties and the lasting impact of a life shaped by associations with the Mafia. Both highlight a historical approach to real-life mob figures and their evolving relationships.

Pennsylvania, 1956. Frank Sheeran, a war veteran of Irish origin who works as a truck driver, accidentally meets mobster Russell Bufalino. Once Frank becomes his trusted man, Bufalino sends him to Chicago with the task of helping Jimmy Hoffa, a powerful union leader related to organized crime, with whom Frank will maintain a close friendship for nearly twenty years. The Irishman is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 3h 29m runtime, released in 2019 with an average rating of 7.6 by 7,608 people. The movie made an estimated total of $968,853 in the box office.

Donnie Brasco centers on undercover work inside the Mafia, paralleling GoodFellas' immersion into the criminal underworld. Each film highlights the personal costs and complex bonds formed through proximity to gangsters, revealing the tension between law enforcement and crime from an insider's perspective.

An FBI undercover agent infiltrates the mob and identifies more with the mafia life at the expense of his regular one. Donnie Brasco is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 2h 7m runtime, released in 1997 with an average rating of 7.5 by 4,926 people. The movie made an estimated total of $124,909,762 in the box office.

The Godfather chronicles the Corleone family's rise and trials in American organized crime, sharing GoodFellas' interest in the structure and traditions of the Mafia, family loyalty, and the complex power struggles over several decades within the Italian-American underworld.

Spanning the years 1945 to 1955, a chronicle of the fictional Italian-American Corleone crime family. When organized crime family patriarch, Vito Corleone barely survives an attempt on his life, his youngest son, Michael steps in to take care of the would-be killers, launching a campaign of bloody revenge. The Godfather is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 2h 55m runtime, released in 1972 with an average rating of 8.7 by 23,253 people. The movie made an estimated total of $245,066,411 in the box office.

Mean Streets, set in New York like GoodFellas, centers on young men balancing ambition with criminal ties in their tight-knit neighborhood. Both films portray the seduction and dangers of Mafia life and examine personal loyalty, mentorship, and inner conflict in the criminal milieu.

A small-time hood must choose from among love, friendship and the chance to rise within the mob. Mean Streets is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 1h 52m runtime, released in 1973 with an average rating of 7.0 by 2,324 people. The movie made an estimated total of $3,000,000 in the box office.

The Godfather Part II continues to dissect Mafia family allegiances and generational legacy, themes closely related to GoodFellas. Both examine how ambition, betrayal, and power struggles define the fates of men navigating the codes and dangers of organized crime over decades.

In the continuing saga of the Corleone crime family, a young Vito Corleone grows up in Sicily and in 1910s New York. In the 1950s, Michael Corleone attempts to expand the family business into Las Vegas, Hollywood and Cuba. The Godfather Part II is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 3h 22m runtime, released in 1974 with an average rating of 8.6 by 14,112 people. The movie made an estimated total of $102,600,000 in the box office.

A Bronx Tale covers the influence of local gangsters on a young man's decisions, mirroring GoodFellas' focus on growing up under Mafia mentorship in New York. Both investigate youth drawn to criminal life, exploring identity and the pull of neighborhood loyalties.

Set in the Bronx during the tumultuous 1960s, an adolescent boy is torn between his honest, working-class father and a violent yet charismatic crime boss. Complicating matters is the youngster's growing attraction - forbidden in his neighborhood - for a beautiful black girl. A Bronx Tale is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 2h 1m runtime, released in 1993 with an average rating of 7.9 by 2,942 people. The movie made an estimated total of $17,287,898 in the box office.

Scarface follows the rise of an outsider through violent ambition into the upper echelons of organized crime, much like the ascent depicted in GoodFellas. Both films delve into the personal cost, moral consequences, and ultimate downfall resulting from a commitment to the criminal world.

After getting a green card in exchange for assassinating a Cuban government official, Tony Montana stakes a claim on the drug trade in Miami. Viciously murdering anyone who stands in his way, Tony eventually becomes the biggest drug lord in the state, controlling nearly all the cocaine that comes through Miami. But increased pressure from the police, wars with Colombian drug cartels and his own drug-fueled paranoia serve to fuel the flames of his eventual downfall. Scarface is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 2h 50m runtime, released in 1983 with an average rating of 8.2 by 13,236 people. The movie made an estimated total of $66,023,329 in the box office.

The Departed examines double lives and shifting loyalties in the criminal underworld, which aligns with GoodFellas’ examination of trust, betrayal, and the blurring of legal and illegal as characters navigate the realities of organized crime and the temptations of power.

To take down South Boston's Irish Mafia, the police send in one of their own to infiltrate the underworld, not realizing the syndicate has done likewise. While an undercover cop curries favor with the mob kingpin, a career criminal rises through the police ranks. But both sides soon discover there's a mole among them. The Departed is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 2h 31m runtime, released in 2006 with an average rating of 8.2 by 16,437 people. The movie made an estimated total of $291,465,000 in the box office.

Carlito's Way tells the story of a man seeking to escape his criminal past after years immersed in organized crime, paralleling GoodFellas’ depiction of longing for a different life while being haunted by old associations and the consequences of previous choices.

Free after years in prison, Carlito Brigante intends to give up his criminal ways, but it's not long before the ex-con is sucked back into the New York City underworld. Carlito's Way is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 2h 24m runtime, released in 1993 with an average rating of 7.8 by 3,521 people. The movie made an estimated total of $63,848,322 in the box office.

Once Upon a Time in America traces the lifelong relationships and evolving fortunes of friends entwined with organized crime, mirroring GoodFellas' interest in loyalty, ambition, and betrayal as characters navigate the underbelly of American society over decades.

A former Prohibition-era Jewish gangster returns to the Lower East Side of Manhattan over thirty years later, where he once again must confront the ghosts and regrets of his old life. Once Upon a Time in America is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 3h 49m runtime, released in 1984 with an average rating of 8.4 by 6,129 people. The movie made an estimated total of $5,500,000 in the box office.

Gomorrah explores the workings of organized crime within a specific community, paralleling GoodFellas in its unflinching look at the social structures, pervasive violence, and generational consequences of involvement in the Mafia.

An inside look at Italy's modern-day crime families, the Camorra in Naples and Caserta. Based on a book by Roberto Saviano. Power, money and blood: these are the "values" that the residents of the Province of Naples and Caserta have to face every day. They hardly ever have a choice and are forced to obey the rules of the Camorra. Only a lucky few can even think of leading a normal life. Gomorrah is a movie from Belgium in Italian, with a total 2h 17m runtime, released in 2008 with an average rating of 6.9 by 1,309 people. The movie made an estimated total of $34,861,529 in the box office.

Miller's Crossing depicts internal power plays and fragile alliances within organized crime, much like GoodFellas. Both films focus on shifting loyalties, betrayal, and the psychological toll of being enmeshed in criminal networks.

Set in 1929, a political boss and his advisor have a parting of the ways when they both fall for the same woman. Miller's Crossing is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 1h 55m runtime, released in 1990 with an average rating of 7.4 by 1,878 people. The movie made an estimated total of $5,080,409 in the box office.

American Gangster follows the true story of a man's rise in organized crime, paralleling GoodFellas with its exploration of ambition, the mechanics of the underworld, and the relentless pursuit of success in a high-stakes criminal environment.

Loosely based on the criminal career of Frank Lucas, a gangster from La Grange, North Carolina, who smuggled heroin into the United States on American service planes returning from the Vietnam War, before being detained by a task force led by Newark Detective Richie Roberts. American Gangster is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 2h 37m runtime, released in 2007 with an average rating of 7.6 by 6,134 people. The movie made an estimated total of $269,755,430 in the box office.

City of God examines the growth and survival of individuals inside a violent criminal ecosystem, resonating with GoodFellas’ exploration of rising through illicit ranks, the allure of power, and the harsh, often violent, consequences of such a lifestyle.

In the poverty-stricken favelas of Rio de Janeiro in the 1970s, two young men choose different paths. Rocket is a budding photographer who documents the increasing drug-related violence of his neighborhood, while José “Zé” Pequeno is an ambitious drug dealer diving into a dangerous life of crime. City of God is a movie from Brazil in Portuguese, with a total 2h 9m runtime, released in 2002 with an average rating of 8.4 by 8,317 people. The movie made an estimated total of $30,641,770 in the box office.

Eastern Promises centers on the internal workings of a criminal organization, focusing on the rituals and codes that govern those inside, much like GoodFellas. Both films reveal the personal sacrifices and dangers inherent in navigating complex Mafia hierarchies.

A Russian teenager living in London dies during childbirth but leaves clues in her diary that could tie her child to a rape involving a violent Russian mob family. Eastern Promises is a movie from Canada in English, with a total 1h 40m runtime, released in 2007 with an average rating of 7.3 by 3,774 people. The movie made an estimated total of $56,106,607 in the box office.

The Long Good Friday delves into the world of organized crime, highlighting the ambitions and vulnerabilities of a crime boss. Like GoodFellas, it examines shifts in criminal power dynamics and the repercussions for those operating at the top of illicit networks.

In the late 1970s, Cockney crime boss Harold Shand, a gangster trying to become a legitimate property mogul, has big plans to get the American Mafia to bankroll his transformation of a derelict area of London into the possible venue for a future Olympic Games. However, a series of bombings targets his empire on the very weekend the Americans are in town. Shand is convinced there is a traitor in his organization, and sets out to eliminate the rat in typically ruthless fashion. The Long Good Friday is a movie from United Kingdom in English, with a total 1h 54m runtime, released in 1980 with an average rating of 7.2 by 437 people. The movie made an estimated total of $500,000 in the box office.

Sexy Beast centers on criminals struggling with their past and the dangerous pull of former associates, echoing GoodFellas’ exploration of personal struggle, psychological manipulation, and the inability to fully escape one's criminal history.

Ex-safecracker Gal Dove has served his time behind bars and is blissfully retired to a Spanish villa paradise with a wife he adores. The idyll is shattered by the arrival of his nemesis Don Logan, intent on persuading Gal to return to London for one last big job. Sexy Beast is a movie from United Kingdom in English, with a total 1h 29m runtime, released in 2001 with an average rating of 7.0 by 915 people.

The Friends of Eddie Coyle focuses on the life of a small-time player caught in the machinery of organized crime, paralleling GoodFellas’ portrayal of lower-level operatives, their ambitions, and the dangerous consequences of betrayal within criminal circles.

An aging hood is about to go back to prison. Hoping to escape his fate, he supplies information on stolen guns to the feds, while simultaneously supplying arms to his bank robbing chums. The Friends of Eddie Coyle is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 1h 42m runtime, released in 1973 with an average rating of 7.2 by 211 people.

King of New York depicts the challenges of maintaining power and influence in New York’s criminal underworld, resonating with GoodFellas’ focus on ambition, loyalty, and the complexities of navigating entrenched Mafia networks in an urban setting.

A former drug lord returns from prison determined to wipe out all his competition and distribute the profits of his operations to New York's poor and lower classes in this stylish and ultra violent modern twist on Robin Hood. King of New York is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 1h 43m runtime, released in 1990 with an average rating of 6.8 by 801 people. The movie made an estimated total of $2,554,712 in the box office.

The Funeral follows the aftermath of a mob member's death and the resulting conflict among his family and associates. This theme of family, loyalty, and retribution closely aligns with the emotional and interpersonal core seen in GoodFellas.

After the funeral of one of their own, a criminal family decides to embark on an emotionally unnerving journey in an attempt to exact bloody revenge. The Funeral is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 1h 39m runtime, released in 1996 with an average rating of 6.7 by 203 people. The movie made an estimated total of $1,227,324 in the box office.

Infernal Affairs centers on blurred lines between law enforcement and criminals, with themes of double identities and loyalty that echo GoodFellas’ focus on hidden motives, infiltration, and the personal risks taken by those close to organized crime.

Chan Wing Yan, a young police officer, has been sent undercover as a mole in the local mafia. Lau Kin Ming, a young mafia member, infiltrates the police force. Years later, their older counterparts, Chen Wing Yan and Inspector Lau Kin Ming, respectively, race against time to expose the mole within their midst. Infernal Affairs is a movie from Hong Kong in Cantonese, with a total 1h 41m runtime, released in 2002 with an average rating of 7.8 by 1,893 people. The movie made an estimated total of $8,836,958 in the box office.

Layer Cake considers the challenges faced by an ambitious criminal seeking to move up — or escape — the illegal drug trade, mirroring GoodFellas’ themes of ambition, betrayal, and the complex, often perilous, hierarchies within organized crime.

When a seemingly straight-forward drug deal goes awry, XXXX has to break his die-hard rules and turn up the heat, not only to outwit the old regime and come out on top, but to save his own skin... Layer Cake is a movie from United Kingdom in English, with a total 1h 45m runtime, released in 2004 with an average rating of 6.9 by 2,418 people. The movie made an estimated total of $11,900,000 in the box office.

Serpico presents an individual striving for integrity within a corrupt system, paralleling certain GoodFellas themes of navigating moral ambiguity and the impact of entrenched criminal networks on personal values and personal safety.

New York cop Frank Serpico blows the whistle on the rampant corruption in the force only to have his comrades turn against him. Serpico is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 2h 9m runtime, released in 1973 with an average rating of 7.5 by 2,219 people. The movie made an estimated total of $30,800,000 in the box office.

Heat examines professional criminals and the law enforcement figures who pursue them, sharing GoodFellas' attention to detail in portraying the realities, motivations, and relationships that define those operating outside the law.

Obsessive master thief Neil McCauley leads a top-notch crew on various daring heists throughout Los Angeles while determined detective Vincent Hanna pursues him without rest. Each man recognizes and respects the ability and the dedication of the other even though they are aware their cat-and-mouse game may end in violence. Heat is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 2h 50m runtime, released in 1995 with an average rating of 7.9 by 8,529 people. The movie made an estimated total of $187,400,000 in the box office.

State of Grace spotlights the tension between old neighborhood connections and criminal loyalty, echoing GoodFellas’ depiction of conflict between personal ties, criminal codes, and the emotional toll of choosing between them.

Hell's Kitchen, New York. Terry Noonan returns home after a ten-year absence. He soon reconnects with Jackie, a childhood friend and member of the Irish mob, and rekindles his love affair with Jackie's sister Kathleen. State of Grace is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 2h 15m runtime, released in 1990 with an average rating of 7.0 by 429 people. The movie made an estimated total of $1,911,542 in the box office.

New Jack City portrays the formation and collapse of a powerful urban crime syndicate, in line with GoodFellas’ analysis of the rise and fall of individuals deeply involved in organized crime, as well as the challenges of holding onto power.

A gangster, Nino, is in the Cash Money Brothers, making a million dollars every week selling crack. A cop, Scotty, discovers that the only way to infiltrate the gang is to become a dealer himself. New Jack City is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 1h 41m runtime, released in 1991 with an average rating of 6.7 by 619 people. The movie made an estimated total of $47,624,253 in the box office.

The Yards follows an individual drawn into criminal operations run by powerful local figures, paralleling GoodFellas’ portrayal of working-class backgrounds, neighborhood influence, and the moral choices faced by those seeking acceptance in crime circles.

In the rail yards of Queens, contractors repair and rebuild the city's subway cars. These contracts are lucrative, so graft and corruption are rife. When Leo Handler gets out of prison, he finds his aunt married to Frank Olchin, one of the big contractors; he's battling with a minority-owned firm for contracts. The Yards is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 1h 55m runtime, released in 2000 with an average rating of 6.2 by 531 people. The movie made an estimated total of $889,352 in the box office.

Brother focuses on the assimilation of an outsider into an organized crime family and the shifting allegiances within, similar to GoodFellas’ depiction of ambition, mentorship, and the evolving loyalties in criminal organizations.

Danila goes to his successful brother, Victor, in Petersburg to start a new life. Unknown to Danila, Victor is a contract killer, but is in hiding after asking for too much money to assassinate a Chechen mob boss. To avoid exposure, Victor convinces Danila to kill the boss instead. Brother is a movie from Russia in Russian, with a total 1h 36m runtime, released in 1997 with an average rating of 7.5 by 476 people. The movie made an estimated total of $1,360,000 in the box office.

Road to Perdition investigates the complicated relationship between a mob enforcer and family as he confronts betrayal and violence. This aligns with GoodFellas’ exploration of familial connection, loyalty, and the emotional consequences of a life of crime.

Mike Sullivan works as a hit man for crime boss John Rooney. Sullivan views Rooney as a father figure, however after his son is witness to a killing, Mike Sullivan finds himself on the run in attempt to save the life of his son and at the same time looking for revenge on those who wronged him. Road to Perdition is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 1h 57m runtime, released in 2002 with an average rating of 7.4 by 4,057 people. The movie made an estimated total of $181,001,478 in the box office.

The Public Enemy depicts the rise of a young man in organized crime, reflecting GoodFellas’ focus on ambition, mentorship, and the perils awaiting those seeking status within the Mafia’s violent world.

Two young Chicago hoodlums, Tom Powers and Matt Doyle, rise up from their poverty-stricken slum life to become petty thieves, bootleggers and cold-blooded killers. But with street notoriety and newfound wealth, the duo feels the heat from the cops and rival gangsters both. Despite his ruthless criminal reputation, Tom tries to remain connected to his family, however, gang warfare and the need for revenge eventually pull him away. The Public Enemy is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 1h 23m runtime, released in 1931 with an average rating of 7.2 by 394 people. The movie made an estimated total of $557,000 in the box office.

Le Samouraï delves into the life of a professional criminal navigating codes of conduct and existential isolation, which echoes GoodFellas’ attention to the strict codes, emotional distance, and risks inherent within organized crime.

After carrying out a flawlessly planned hit, Jef Costello, a contract killer with samurai instincts, finds himself caught between a persistent police investigator and a ruthless employer, and not even his armor of fedora and trench coat can protect him. Le Samouraï is a movie from France in French, with a total 1h 45m runtime, released in 1967 with an average rating of 7.8 by 1,278 people. The movie made an estimated total of $215,245 in the box office.

The Pope of Greenwich Village portrays New Yorkers entangled in low-level crime and their struggle to survive, resonating with GoodFellas' themes of neighborhood influence, friendship, and the dangerous allure of quick rewards through illicit deeds.

Charlie and his troublesome cousin Paulie decide to steal $150,000 in order to back a "sure thing" race horse that Paulie has inside information on. The aftermath of the robbery gets them into serious trouble with the local Mafia boss and the corrupt New York City police department. The Pope of Greenwich Village is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 2h 1m runtime, released in 1984 with an average rating of 6.3 by 156 people. The movie made an estimated total of $6,836,201 in the box office.

The Untouchables centers on law enforcement’s efforts to dismantle organized crime, paralleling GoodFellas’ examination of the Mafia’s societal influence, the dangers of upending criminal hierarchies, and the risks faced by those who confront crime syndicates.

Elliot Ness, an ambitious prohibition agent, is determined to take down Al Capone. In order to achieve this goal, he forms a group given the nickname “The Untouchables”. The Untouchables is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 1h 59m runtime, released in 1987 with an average rating of 7.8 by 6,246 people. The movie made an estimated total of $76,270,454 in the box office.

Animal Kingdom addresses family ties and betrayal as a young man adapts to life inside a criminal family, much like GoodFellas’ focus on the personal relationships, moral tests, and consequences that come from growing up under the shadow of crime.

Joshua “J” is taken in by his extended family after his mother dies of an overdose. The clan, ruled by J’s scheming grandmother, is heavily involved in criminal activities, and J is soon indoctrinated into their way of life. But J is given a chance to take another path when a cop seeks to help him. Animal Kingdom is a movie from Australia in English, with a total 1h 53m runtime, released in 2010 with an average rating of 6.8 by 926 people. The movie made an estimated total of $1,000,000 in the box office.

The French Connection depicts law enforcement tracking organized crime within a gritty urban environment, overlapping with GoodFellas in its attention to criminal enterprises, urban settings, and the cat-and-mouse dynamics between police and mobsters.

Tough narcotics detective 'Popeye' Doyle is in hot pursuit of a suave French drug dealer who may be the key to a huge heroin-smuggling operation. The French Connection is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 1h 44m runtime, released in 1971 with an average rating of 7.5 by 2,167 people. The movie made an estimated total of $41,200,000 in the box office.

A Prophet follows a young man's induction and rise within a prison-based crime network, echoing GoodFellas’ focus on criminal apprenticeship, adaptation, and the struggle for power and respect inside a tightly controlled environment.

Sentenced to six years in prison, Malik El Djebena is alone in the world and can neither read nor write. On his arrival at the prison, he seems younger and more brittle than the others detained there. At once he falls under the sway of a group of Corsicans who enforce their rule in the prison. As the 'missions' go by, he toughens himself and wins the confidence of the Corsican group. A Prophet is a movie from France in French, with a total 2h 35m runtime, released in 2009 with an average rating of 7.6 by 1,753 people. The movie made an estimated total of $17,874,044 in the box office.

Black Mass explores the real-life story of a notorious gangster's climb within organized crime, reflecting GoodFellas’ interest in true events, the impact of personal choices, and the shifting alliances that define a criminal career.

The true story of Whitey Bulger, the brother of a state senator and the most infamous violent criminal in the history of South Boston, who became an FBI informant to take down a Mafia family invading his turf. Black Mass is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 2h 3m runtime, released in 2015 with an average rating of 6.5 by 3,633 people. The movie made an estimated total of $99,975,678 in the box office.

Bugsy tracks the ambitions and schemes of a mobster drawn to big dreams, aligning with GoodFellas by examining the pursuit of power, ingenuity in illegal ventures, and the personal costs of becoming enmeshed in organized crime.

New York gangster Ben 'Bugsy' Siegel takes a brief business trip to Los Angeles. A sharp-dressing womanizer with a foul temper, Siegel doesn't hesitate to kill or maim anyone crossing him. In L.A. the life, the movies, and most of all strong-willed Virginia Hill detain him while his family wait back home. Then a trip to a run-down gambling joint at a spot in the desert known as Las Vegas gives him his big idea. Bugsy is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 2h 16m runtime, released in 1991 with an average rating of 6.3 by 455 people. The movie made an estimated total of $49,114,016 in the box office.

Mobsters delves into the origins and rise of infamous gangland figures, highlighting themes of brotherhood, criminal ambition, and the shaping of the underworld seen in GoodFellas’ portrayal of lifelong associations and the climb up the Mafia hierarchy.

The story of a group of friends in turn of the century New York, from their early days as street hoods to their rise in the world of organized crime... Mobsters is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 1h 44m runtime, released in 1991 with an average rating of 6.3 by 200 people. The movie made an estimated total of $20,246,790 in the box office.

The Night Comes For Us follows the violent world of organized crime enforcers and the brutal consequences of defying criminal bosses, closely connected to GoodFellas’ depiction of the constant threat of violence and moral peril within high-stakes criminal circles.

After sparing a girl's life during a massacre, an elite Triad assassin is targeted by an onslaught of murderous gangsters. The Night Comes For Us is a movie from Indonesia in Indonesian, with a total 2h 1m runtime, released in 2018 with an average rating of 6.9 by 831 people.