Review of Mean Streets (1973) by Matt M — 14 Jun 2013

Early Scorsese, ambitiously telling the story of Charlie, a man with a strong Catholic background, who could be a big shot in the Mafia community if it wasn't for his friend Johnny Boy, a loose cannon who can't seem to stay out of trouble, and his epileptic girlfriend who is seen by others as sick in the head.

The result is an electrifying work fuelled by the talent of a group of stars on the rise dying to show their talent on screen. Scorsese, with his impressive tale which touches on such delicate themes as guilt and religion with its accurate use of Italian American cultural context is also ambitious on a visual aspect, with shots and angles that challenge the relatively low budget of the film.

Mean Streets is also heavily marked by the performances of Keitel and De Niro, whose fearless improvisational styles and great chemistry light the screen on fire and make the film feel naturally flowing, adding a rarely seen element of realism.

Certain nice touches which Scorsese will go on to use in further works can be seen, like the use of a pop music filled score, evoking feelings of nostalgia and cool to contrast the violence and convey the film's flow and rhythm.