Review of Mean Streets (1973) by Jan O — 27 Jan 2010

When I saw the 98% fresh rating on this film I thought I was in for a treat. Wrong! I had to turn it off about an hour into it. There's no script. There's no story. No character development. No relationships. There is nothing happening in this movie. It just doesn't go anywhere.

For example a guy gets shot in a bar for no particular reason. Just a misunderstanding maybe. So they leave and hang out somewhere else. The killing has no bearing on the rest of the film. Next scene.

Some kids want to buy some fireworks. The sellers take their $20 and drive away. Ha ha we got their $20. Next scene.

A guy uses a pool cue to knock shot glasses off a bar. Why? No particular reason. Let's throw some ice around. Next scene.

An hour into this movie I can't even tell you what its about except a bunch of 25 to 30ish Italian guys hanging around in New York doing pretty much nothing.

The ONLY thing I found enjoyable about this movie is about 50 minutes into it there's a naked girl with nipples like the proverbial pencil erasers. She doesn't add anything to the story either but she's got great nipples. That's the high point of the first hour of this film.

You'd think in a movie from the mid-70's you would at least get some nice muscle cars to look at. They've got a Buick or some damned thing. They don't even pass anything interesting on the street.

Hair. Maybe its about their 1970's hair styles.

Next movie.