MOVIE : Mean Streets
Another Scorscese classic, I think it's his second film or something, any way, very early.
This is about a bunch of ordinary Italian thugs, not exalted mafia, and looks closely at the ordinary; ordinary thugs, ordinary problems, ordinary solutions. It ends up being quite an ordinary story, but this is made up for by the characters who have a lot of depth, making them both real and extra-ordinary. (very few real people are 'ordinary', we all have some point of interest that sets us apart).
I suppose the realism of the characters is what left me angry (that's a bit too harsh a word), I have known people like them in similar situations and I just get pissed off that they don't do anything about it!
The story follows the escapades of Charlie (Harvey Keitel) as he tries to move up in the gang world, all the time being held back by his insane buddy Johnny Boy (DeNiro). And Johnny Boy is too reminisent of some insance people I've known, people who you simply can't help, only support if they come asking. And by his actions he drags down the unfortunate Charlie as he tries desperately to cover up Johnny's debts.
Probably the best performance (I think) is that of the guy playing the reluctant debt collector who doens't want to be treated like a fool. He really comes across as a friend who is being pushed further and further to uphold his 'standing' by a snotting, insane little kid like Johnny.
So maybe it was a good film, to affect me the way it did, though I don't really see it being a 5/5 as most critics claim.
This is about a bunch of ordinary Italian thugs, not exalted mafia, and looks closely at the ordinary; ordinary thugs, ordinary problems, ordinary solutions. It ends up being quite an ordinary story, but this is made up for by the characters who have a lot of depth, making them both real and extra-ordinary. (very few real people are 'ordinary', we all have some point of interest that sets us apart).
I suppose the realism of the characters is what left me angry (that's a bit too harsh a word), I have known people like them in similar situations and I just get pissed off that they don't do anything about it!
The story follows the escapades of Charlie (Harvey Keitel) as he tries to move up in the gang world, all the time being held back by his insane buddy Johnny Boy (DeNiro). And Johnny Boy is too reminisent of some insance people I've known, people who you simply can't help, only support if they come asking. And by his actions he drags down the unfortunate Charlie as he tries desperately to cover up Johnny's debts.
Probably the best performance (I think) is that of the guy playing the reluctant debt collector who doens't want to be treated like a fool. He really comes across as a friend who is being pushed further and further to uphold his 'standing' by a snotting, insane little kid like Johnny.
So maybe it was a good film, to affect me the way it did, though I don't really see it being a 5/5 as most critics claim.
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