"Pay Me!” Goodfellows (1990) Ray Liotta Robert DeNiro Joe Pesci

"Sonny's Restaurant Deal with Paulie"
The scene takes place in Sonny's restaurant, where Sonny Bunz (portrayed by Tony Darrow) is desperately seeking help. He approaches Paul Cicero (played by Paul Sorvino), a powerful mob boss, and asks for assistance with his struggling business. Sonny's problem is that he's being extorted by another mobster, Tommy DeVito (played by Joe Pesci), and cannot sustain the financial losses.

Sonny reluctantly proposes to make Paulie a partner in the restaurant, effectively giving control of the business to the mob boss. He says, “What am I gonna do? If I don't, they’re gonna kill me.”

Paulie agrees to take over, but this sets up a classic mob "bust-out" scheme. Under Paulie and his associates’ control, they run up debts in Sonny's name, exploit every possible resource, and ultimately burn down the restaurant to collect the insurance money.

This scene is pivotal in showcasing how the mob operated behind the guise of "helping," while devastating local businesses for profit. It also highlights the manipulation and power dynamics within the criminal underworld.

Title: Goodfellas
Director: Martin Scorsese
Release Year: 1990
Writers: Nicholas Pileggi and Martin Scorsese (based on Pileggi's book Wiseguy)
Main Characters in Scene:
Paul Cicero (Paul Sorvino): The mob boss who agrees to take over the restaurant.
Sonny Bunz (Tony Darrow): The desperate restaurant owner.
Tommy DeVito (Joe Pesci): The unpredictable and violent mobster causing the trouble.