Review of Mean Streets (1973) by Zach C — 05 Feb 2011

Martin Scorsese's breakthrough film "Mean Streets" is an engaging and realistic look at the life of the youth in mid-20th century Little Italy. Though it may be slow at some parts the characters and humorous action sequences help keep you intrigued.

Harvey Keitel plays the like-able Charlie and Robert DeNiro (in his first of eight unions with Scorsese) acts as the hot-headed Johnny Boy, both low level hoodlums that cheat, gamble and run numbers. It is interesting to see the many trademark Scorsese tactics used for the first time, especially in a scene at the bar where the camera moves in slow motion through a crowd of people enveloped in red light to finally focus on Charlie's face while "Jumpin' Jack Flash" is being played.

The first of many masterpieces from the one and only Martin Scorsese won't have you wondering why many critics refer to it as "The Godfather" (1972) on the opposite end of the spectrum.