‘Women Are Not Capable’ of Understanding ‘GoodFellas’ Argues New York Post Film Critic

Plenty of women — and men — argue back

A film critic baited feminist outrage on Thursday by writing an opinion piece headlined, “Women are not capable of understanding ‘Goodfellas.’”

New York Post critic Kyle Smith decided to give his thoughts on the opposite gender’s ability to appreciate Martin Scorsese‘s 1990 mobster classic in honor of its 25th anniversary Blu-ray release, and screening at the Film Forum in New York City.

“Women don’t get ‘GoodFellas.’ It’s not really a crime drama, like ‘The Godfather.’ It’s more of a male fantasy picture — ‘Entourage’ with guns instead of swimming pools, the Rat Pack minus tuxedos,” Smith wrote. “Women sense that they are irrelevant to this fantasy, and it bothers them.”

Smith argues that the film is “a story of ball-busting etiquette” at its core, and women can’t appreciate a good ball bust.

“Women (except silent floozies) cannot be present for ball-busting because women are the sensitivity police: They get offended, protest that someone’s not being fair, refuse to laugh at vicious put-downs,” Smith continued. “In the male fantasy, all of this is unforgivable — too serious, too boring. Deal another hand, pour another drink. To a woman, the ‘GoodFellas’ are lowlifes. To guys, they’re hilarious, they’re heroes.”

Smith’s words were heard loud and clear by the online film community, and women who love the mafia film starring Robert De Niro, Ray Liotta, Joe Pesci and Lorraine Bracco have taken to Twitter to protest his assertion, with a number of columnists of both sexes having fired back.

Smith has since commented on the backlash in a Facebook post published Thursday.

“So [film critic] Sara Stewart inspired this by saying ‘Goodfellas’ was boring, which reminded me that Lisa Foss once called it a boy movie, which reminded me I don’t think I’ve ever heard a woman enthuse about it,” Smith wrote. “@Karol Markowicz @Kirsten Flemingand @Maggie Haberman tell me I’m wrong and now The Guardian is having a hissy. Which reminds me that Linda Stasi once told me the true measure of a columnist’s success is how much hate mail is generated. Anyway, I saw it again Tuesday. Two women were present, as against maybe 18 guys.”

Comments