Review of Mean Streets (1973) by Kevin R — 27 Dec 2011

Honorable men go with honorable men.

Charlie is a rising underworld prospect that tries to help out the cousin of his girlfriend because he's also from the mean streets of Little Italy in New York City. While he continues to rise in the mob rankings, the kid continues to get in more and more trouble that may ultimately lead to Charlie's demise. Will Charlie let the kid bring him down or will he cut ties?

"You ever heard of a wish sandwich? It's when you take two pieces of bread and wish there was some meat.".

Martin Scorsese, director of The Departed, Taxi Driver, Raging Bull, Shutter Island, Boxcar Bertha, Good Fellas, Casino, Bringing Out the Dead, and Gangs of New York, delivers Mean Streets. The storyline for this picture is fairly standard for the gangster genre and contains solid characters worth following and the conclusion is solid. The cast delivers remarkable performances and contains Harvey Keitel, Robert De Niro, David Proval, and Richard Romanus.

"It comes from Maryland.".

"What does that mean?".

"It means it's good.".

Mean Streets was a movie that grabbed my attention when MSN ranked it the second best movie based in New York City all time (tied with Taxi Driver). I honestly had never heard of this movie despite it starring two entertaining actors (De Niro and Keitel). I found the characters fascinating and well delivered and the conclusion was solid but not perfect. This is definitely worth your time but not the best of the genre or the best Scorsese picture.

"You call these skanks girls?".

Grade: B.