Mean Streets (1973) Directed by Martin Scorsese

This movie is definitely not being like an usual crime-drama and those expecting at typical Scorsese classic are also wrong to do so. It's one of the earliest movies out of his career and perhaps you should see this movie more as a test-case for his future crime epics. In that regard alone this movie is already being an interesting and significant watch.

For me, it's definitely being understandable why someone wouldn't like this movie. It isn't necessarily following a main plot line, which perhaps lets the movie feel a bit messy and simplistic. And that could be even more so the case for you since the movie of course isn't being a very slick or expensive looking one. I however feel this is actually being one of the movie its greatest strengths.

Because it isn't really following a main story the movie feels more like a raw and realistic one instead. It's just about a couple of simple and average guys, trying to make it in the world of crime, in Little Italy. They are small fish and the movie is also focusing on the smaller things. It doesn't ever attempts to be more than it in fact truly is and you could say that the movie is being a very humble and honest made movie, with a notable true love and passion for the genre as well.

I hear everybody talking about Robert De Niro's performance and character in this movie but to me the true heart and center of this movie was Harvey Keitel. He's also really the one main character in this movie and his story lines are being the most important ones for the progress of it. Think everybody is talking about De Niro because he is the bigger star now and has a long history with Scorsese, which all started out with this movie but honestly, the best performance of the movie is being given by Keitel! Not saying that De Niro is bad of course in this. On the contrary! But he's getting enough attention for it already, while Keitel is being the one that gets to shine the most in this.

It's also a movie with some definitely great and powerful moments in it. The movie manages to become an affective one with some of its emotions and developments. Some moments and setups more or less got used later on by Scorsese again, for some of his far better known movies. Scorsese fans shall most likely marvel at this movie and notice great little touches and story approaches in it, for which Scorsese later on would get known and recognized for.

A great little crime movie, though not just for everybody.

8/10

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