8 Best Movies Like Goodfellas (Ranked & Where to Watch)

Martin Scorsese’s sprawling Las Vegas epic is arguably the closest spiritual successor to Goodfellas. Re-teaming Robert De Niro and Joe Pesci, alongside a magnificent Sharon Stone, Casino plunges into the opulent, violent world of mob-controlled casinos. Its dual voice-overs, kinetic editing, and unflinching depiction of excess and betrayal mirror Goodfellas’ style but on a grander, more tragic scale. The film meticulously charts the rise and brutal fall of its protagonists, showcasing how unchecked ambition and internal conflicts inevitably dismantle even the most formidable empires. It's an essential companion piece, depicting the same intoxicating allure and brutal reality of the criminal lifestyle.

Scorsese returns to the mob genre with a reflective, elegiac masterpiece. The Irishman reunites De Niro, Pacino, and Pesci for a sobering chronicle of Frank Sheeran's life, his ties to the Bufalino crime family, and his alleged involvement in Jimmy Hoffa's disappearance. Unlike the explosive energy of Goodfellas, this film is a somber meditation on aging, regret, and the ultimate loneliness of a life spent in violence. Its extended runtime allows for a deep dive into historical events and the psychological toll of a criminal existence, making it a profound, mature counterpoint to the youthful exuberance of Henry Hill’s narrative.

Francis Ford Coppola's The Godfather saga is the unparalleled patriarch of mob cinema, a towering influence on every film that followed, including Goodfellas. While Scorsese's film revels in the gritty, street-level chaos, Coppola's epic offers a more operatic, almost Shakespearean, portrayal of power, family, and tradition within the Corleone dynasty. This chronological re-edit allows for an even deeper immersion into the evolution of organized crime through the 20th century. Its exploration of moral compromises, the corrupting nature of power, and the tragic cycle of violence makes it a foundational text for anyone seeking to understand the allure and ultimate cost of the criminal enterprise.

Sergio Leone’s ambitious, melancholic crime epic stands as a sprawling counterpoint to Scorsese’s kinetic energy. Following the lives of Jewish gangsters in New York City from their youth in the Prohibition era to their tragic reunion decades later, the film is a meditation on memory, lost opportunities, and the corrosive effects of time on friendships and dreams. Its non-linear structure and sweeping narrative echo Goodfellas' scope, but Leone imbues it with a profound sense of sadness and nostalgia. The film explores the rise and fall of criminal ambition with a lyrical, almost poetic, grandeur, showcasing the profound psychological cost of a life of crime.

This taut, character-driven thriller offers a compellingly intimate perspective on the mob, diverging from the panoramic view of Goodfellas. Based on a true story, it follows FBI agent Joe Pistone (Johnny Depp) as he infiltrates the Bonnano crime family and develops a complex bond with aging hitman Lefty Ruggiero (Al Pacino). Donnie Brasco excels in depicting the mundane, yet dangerous, day-to-day realities of mob life and the profound psychological toll it takes on an undercover operative. It's a masterclass in tension and character, highlighting themes of loyalty, identity, and the suffocating grip of the criminal underworld from a unique, internal perspective.

Brian De Palma's stylish neo-noir thriller, starring Al Pacino as the titular Carlito Brigante, serves as a poignant exploration of the near-impossible quest for redemption within the criminal underworld. Fresh out of prison, Carlito vows to go straight and save enough money to escape to a new life, but the seductive pull of his past and the treacherous nature of his old associates relentlessly drag him back. With its vibrant 70s aesthetic, pulsing soundtrack, and Al Pacino's magnetic performance, Carlito's Way shares Goodfellas' sense of inescapable destiny, painting a tragic portrait of a man ensnared by the life he desperately wants to abandon.

This made-for-TV film provides a direct, biographical look at John Gotti, the flamboyant "Dapper Don" who rose to become the head of the Gambino crime family. While it might lack the stylistic flair of a Scorsese epic, Gotti offers a straightforward narrative of ambition, power consolidation, and the eventual hubris that leads to a mob boss's downfall. For those drawn to Goodfellas' focus on real-life mob figures and the internal politics of organized crime, this film delves into the life of one of the most notorious figures of the late 20th-century American Mafia, showcasing the evolution of the criminal underworld and the media's fascination with its kings.

A crucial, albeit often overlooked, entry in the gangster genre, The Valachi Papers offers a raw, early look at the life of a mob informant. Charles Bronson stars as Joe Valachi, whose testimony became instrumental in exposing the inner workings of the American Mafia to the public. Directed by Terence Young, this film precedes Goodfellas by nearly two decades, presenting a less glamorous, more brutal reality of mob life, focusing on the constant fear, betrayals, and the harsh consequences of breaking omertà. It’s a historical piece that highlights the themes of survival and the grim inevitability of capture or death that underpins many mob narratives, including Henry Hill's eventual turn.