30 for 30: Playing for the Mob (2014)
**** (out of 4)
If you've seen Martin Scorsese's GOODFELLAS then the story told here is going to feature some familiar characters. Henry Hill and Jimmy Burke were involved in point shaving scheme at Boston College and this here led to the downfall of one of the most notorious gangsters in New York while also ruining the lives of some of the college players taking money. PLAYING FOR THE MOB is a terrific companion piece to the Scorsese film for a number of reasons but the biggest is just hearing how all of the events went down. If you're familiar with the Scorsese picture then you'll know all the characters here and you can't help but be fascinating on how Hill got involved in the plot and how it eventually got carried out and broken apart. It's funny hearing the various sides of the story because it really comes across as a mystery because you don't really know who's telling the truth and who's lying. Hill, as energetic as always, does a great job at explaining the "rules" of what was going on but the Boston College players are also great to listen to because you have to remember these were young kids who found themselves involved with murderers. PLAYING FOR THE MOB was rightfully narrated by Ray Liotta who of course played Hill.