Review of Mean Streets (1973) by Jon P — 11 Sep 2016

Martin Scorsese's crimson-lit tale of penance and petulance is a stylistic triumph characterised by unforgettable collisions.

Mean Streets is a study of ambition versus tradition, which is echoed no-end through its themes, characters and endless visual experimentation, all of which clash with the film's roots as an old-school mob flick.

The film grabs us by the balls and doesn't let go. It drags us through barroom brawls and dingy backstreets with a forward-thinking fervour that still rings fresh today; the old and the new locking horns in every frame.

Then there's Robert De Niro's turn as loathsome lowlife Johnny Boy - one of very few all-time great character performances that can be described as so good, you want to punch it in the face yourself.

Over time, Martin Scorsese has reinvented the gangster movie. The seeds of an entire genre overhaul are all planted firmly in Mean Streets.