Ask someone what their favorite Ray Liotta film was and most will instantly say “Goodfellas.” Good answer. It’s one of the best mob movies ever made.
But that was back in 1990. For many years after he played new mafioso Henry Hill in the Martin Scorsese classic — a turn both innocent and dangerous — the “Field of Dreams” star languished in forgettable pictures, made silly cameos as himself and appeared in low-quality direct-to-video fare. James Mangold’s “Cop Land” in 1997, also starring Sylvester Stallone, was a rare bright spot.
Still, he never became the leading man his scorching talent suggested he would.
So, part of the sadness at the news of Liotta’s shocking death at the age of 67 is that he had been in the middle of an exciting career comeback — a renewed recognition of his prodigious skills. Over the last three years, the Union, NJ-born actor was giving strong performances in big, notable movies.
Watching him recently, you couldn’t help but feel you were witnessing a new beginning — one that’s been woefully cut short.
Read more New York Post coverage of Ray Liotta’s death
- Stars, fans react to Ray Liotta’s death at 67: ‘I am utterly shattered’
- Ray Liotta regretted turning down roles, was too ‘precious’ about career
- Lorraine Bracco ‘shattered’ by ‘Goodfellas’ co-star Ray Liotta’s death
Since “Goodfellas,” Liotta has existed far away from the Oscars conversation (also recall that for that movie, Joe Pesci won, while Liotta wasn’t even nominated).
That began to change in 2019 when he appeared in Noah Baumbach’s Best Picture-nominated “Marriage Story,” starring Adam Driver and Scarlett Johansson. In the dramedy about two New York showbiz types’ crumbling relationship, he was a scene-stealer as Driver’s divorce lawyer. Johansson’s attorney, of course, was played by Laura Dern, who’s had a career renaissance of her own.
Think what you will about last year’s controversial “Sopranos” prequel film “The Many Saints of Newark,” but Liotta was the best part by far in the flick that was unquestionably a talker. He played Sally Moltisanti, who starts as a boisterous clown that gets the film’s only laughs, and scarily turns into a frightening wife abuser. Outdoing himself, he then assumes the role of Sally’s imprisoned twin brother “Hollywood Dick” in later scenes.
And in last spring’s “No Sudden Move,” directed by Oscar-winner Steven Soderbergh, Liotta had a small but intense scene as a mobster opposite Benicio del Toro.
His snowballing comeback wasn’t a blip, either. The actor has five more films in the can with stars such as Demi Moore and Keri Russell that will now all be posthumous releases. The late Liotta will surely give the kind of committed, electric performances his fans have cherished for more than 30 years. If you screen it, they will come.
