Product: Mean Streets (1973)
Rating: 4.0
Rough realism and very human characters
This 1973 film was written and directed by Martin Scorsese and has received much praise through the years. Starring Harvey Keitel and Robert DeNiro, the story is based on the Little Italy of Scorsese's boyhood. I understand that Scorsese once studied for the priesthood and elements of his Catholic faith and the state of sin are a constant theme against the backdrop of petty gangsters, loan sharks and forbidden relationships.Keitel plays Charlie, who works for his loan-shark uncle. DeNiro plays Johhny Boy, a small-time and half-crazy gambler. Like other Scorsese films, the dialog is often improvised, thereby giving the film a rough realism. Scorsese techniques include slow motion, scenes inside the bar bathed in red and a hand-held camera to get special choppy effects. He also uses the soundtracks of popular songs as background to brawls.The acting is excellent. I felt the pulse of New York even though I understand that most of it was shot in Los Angeles. And the humanity of the characters all show through.The weakness of the movie though was its story. Even though it loosely followed the characters to the inevitable conclusion of violence, there were no real surprises. It was basically a character study and a picture of New York in the fifties. After my initial impression of how well this was done, I yearned for a good plot, something that would pull me into the action and make me wonder what was coming next. That didn't happen.I don't think this film stood the test of time well because I can't help comparing it to later films by Scorsese with more action. Don't pass it by though; it's well worth a look for historical perspective. Just understand it is an early work.