Review of Mean Streets (1973) by Ben M — 19 Mar 2010
Before there was Goodfellas, The Departed, and all the other Scorsese gangster flicks, there was Mean Streets. This is a showcase of Scorsese's early talents, giving us a quaint look at small-time gangsters in seventies Little Italy.
Harvey Keitel is a young, charismatic, and charming guy trying to make his way up through the local mafia. He is steady with his girlfriend, is buying a nightclub, and the peace is kept within his little world.
This peace is disturbed by the arrogant and trouble making Johnnie Boy (a young and ever-talented DeNiro) who never seems to pay back his gambling debts to a tempermental loan shark. The two hours this movie encompasses shows Charlie trying again and again to help Johnnie Boy with little success.
The vibrant soundtrack along with the colorful interplay between the characters was highly enjoyable. This movie is great to watch to see the first of many great Scorsese films that came out over the next thirty years.
This review of Mean Streets (1973) was written by Ben M on 19 Mar 2010.
Mean Streets has generally received very positive reviews.
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