The first time I saw this movie, I didn't get the point. Then I watched again,again and fell in love with it. Mean Streets is somewhat hard to follow at first but the second time you see it, you realize this a great movie.
You get to see the beginning of Scorsese's trademarks, like the wall to wall music, the classic rock Scorsese so frequently uses, narration by the main character, the Scorses style close up shots and the first teaming with Robert DeNiro.
DeNiro plays a crazy neighborhood kid named Johnny Boy, who is in big time debt to smalltime mafioso's. Harvey Keitel plays Charlie an upcoming crook in Little Italy who feels to make up for his sins he needs to help Johnny get a job so he can pay off his gambling debts. What makes it more frustrating for Charlie is that Johnny doesn't take his help and puts off paying up, until the inevitable happens.
Mean Streets was Scorses's, DeNiro, and I would have to say Keitel's breakthrough film. DeNiro shows like usual he can play any role and Keitel's inner conflict in this movie is spectacular. When people think of Scorses they think of Goodfellas and Raging Bull,well Mean Streets is the movie that set the mold for his style,which people forget.
You get to see the beginning of Scorsese's trademarks, like the wall to wall music, the classic rock Scorsese so frequently uses, narration by the main character, the Scorses style close up shots and the first teaming with Robert DeNiro.
DeNiro plays a crazy neighborhood kid named Johnny Boy, who is in big time debt to smalltime mafioso's. Harvey Keitel plays Charlie an upcoming crook in Little Italy who feels to make up for his sins he needs to help Johnny get a job so he can pay off his gambling debts. What makes it more frustrating for Charlie is that Johnny doesn't take his help and puts off paying up, until the inevitable happens.
Mean Streets was Scorses's, DeNiro, and I would have to say Keitel's breakthrough film. DeNiro shows like usual he can play any role and Keitel's inner conflict in this movie is spectacular. When people think of Scorses they think of Goodfellas and Raging Bull,well Mean Streets is the movie that set the mold for his style,which people forget.