Mean Streets (1973)

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I understand that Mean Streets was based on things that Martin Scorsese saw himself growing up in the Italian-American community, and that community is its real star. Charlie (Harvey Keitel) tries to be friends with everyone, interceding to protect his crazy, self-destructive gambler friend Johnny Boy (Robert De Niro). It's a slice of life, almost impressionistic, in a seedy world where everyone knows everyone else, where violence comes in an instant and goes away as fast. Performances are great but it's the net effect, the way the streets come alive, the milieu comes alive, that is enthralling.

- Sam - 2021-03-14 21:40:53