You Can Watch Robert De Niro In His Best Movie Right Now For Free
Robert De Niro's mobster hit, Goodfellas, is streaming for free on Tubi.
One of the most revered actors of our time, Robert De Niro, who recently welcomed his seventh child, has more than earned his celebrated reputation during his decades-long career in Hollywood. A genre-hopping master, the star has appeared in everything from crime dramas like Heat to comedies like The War with Grandpa. Even though he’s proven himself a force to be reckoned with in any type of film, it’s his roles as tough-as-nails mafia members that have given him the most notoriety. And, right now, audiences can catch one of his best performances in Goodfellas, which is now streaming for free on Tubi.
While Mean Streets may have been his first big break into the world of the mob and Brian De Palma gave him the shot at playing Al Capone to further his gangster reputation, it was with the star-studded cast of Martin Scorsese’s 1990 hit Goodfellas that would solidify Robert De Niro’s status as a top boss. Considered to be a primo piece of mafia-based storytelling, the biographical film followed the in and outs of the family business and – more specifically – Henry Hill’s rise to the top, with all the paranoia, jail time, and backstabbing that came with it. Chronicling his early days as a runner for the mob, the film, which follows Hill’s life from 1955 to 1980, saw the young man climb the ranks.
The movie’s cast is stacked with familiar faces, with the late great Ray Liotta leading the pack as Henry Hill and Robert De Niro, Joe Pesci, Paul Sorvino, and Lorraine Bracco in starring roles. There are also more than a few familiar faces for fans of other similar productions like The Sopranos stars Bracco, Tony Sirico, Tony Darrow, Frank Vincent, and Michael Imperioli. Even The Godfather star Frank Sivero makes an appearance, along with Samuel L. Jackson.
The movie follows a narrative model with Liotta’s Henry Hill recounting the events of his life and often breaking the fourth wall to address the audience. Filmed around New York City and Staten Island, the title stayed true to the real world where the story took place, seeing the actors performing in front of a true-to-life backdrop. Martin Scorsese and the rest of the team had Robert De Niro to thank for the title being given the green light as when he signed on to the call sheet, the studio was willing to fully back the production.
A huge box office success, Goodfellas went on the rake in $47.1 million globally up against its $25 million production budget. Standing strong on Rotten Tomatoes with a 96 percent rating, the film is still considered to be one of Robert De Niro’s best films of his career. Even the Academy recognized the masterpiece behind Goodfellas, giving it six Academy Award nominations including one for Best Picture with Joe Pesci nabbing the award for Best Supporting Actor.
Also honored with mentions at the Golden Globes and BAFTAs, the film would take home Best Film and Best Director from the BAFTAs with Robert De Niro receiving a nod for his turn as the brutal Jimmy Conway. Although they didn’t walk with any Golden Globes, the picture was nominated for five awards.
Of course, for Robert De Niro, Goodfellas would hardly be his last time in the role of a mobster. 1993 brought the actor’s directorial debut in A Bronx Tale, a film in which he starred opposite Chazz Palminteri with other titles down the line including Analyze This and its sequel Analyze That, The Family, and The Irishman – just to name a few. Like his appearance in mafia movies, De Niro’s career has also been spotted with collaborations with the legendary Martin Scorsese with whom he’s worked in both The Irishman and Goodfellas as well as other celebrated titles including Taxi Driver and Casino and the soon-to-be-released Killers of the Flower Moon.
Beyond his latest collab with Martin Scorsese, audiences can expect to soon see Robert De Niro in yet another gangster movie titled Wiseguys from the same writer behind Goodfellas. He’ll also be appearing in a handful of other films including About My Father, Tin Soldier, and Inappropriate Behavior. Be sure to check out the celebrated crime drama Goodfellas while it’s streaming for free on Tubi.
