Mean Streets - Movie Review Example

Charlie is involved with the local New York Mafia and is tries to move up the command chain. His efforts are frustrated as he takes responsibility of his friend Johnny Boy, who is a reckless and minor gambler, a habit that gets Johnny into a huge amount of debt from many local loan sharks. Charlie who collects debts from individuals who owe his uncle money is an inwardly conflicted man. He does not know whether to follow his Mafia ambitions or to devout himself to the church. After failing to receive liberation in church, Charlie excessively becomes reproachful and disrespectful, but gets it by forfeiting himself on Johnny’s behalf.

The movie ends when a debtor, Michael demands his money from Johnny who insults him and draws out a gun. Michael leaves but pursues Charlie, Johnny and Charlie’s girlfriend Teresa (an epileptic woman), who have decided to escape town for a little while. Michaels gunmen fires shots that land on Johnny’s neck and Charlie’s hand. An ambulance and the police come to the scene and take them away as the movie ends (Iamb, 2012). Critique There are a number of pros in the film, firstly are the characters.

Mean Streets characters are excellently cast as their roles are well executed and nicely edited. The acting is incredibly original, and the director has directed his actors to near- sound acts. Moreover, the characters have given the film a thoroughly, beautiful, spellbinding and memorable feel. The characters demonstrate the Italian- American experience in a groundbreaking way, as they are passionate and mature. The characters in Mean Streets film have portrayed extreme talent in demonstrating male amity in Little Italy in New York.

With Charlie’s character the producer, Martin Scorsese picks two conflicting issues common with young men in New York, religion, and gangster life. The second pro in the film is the cast themselves who are skilled, thus make the film believable. Martin has appropriately cast the actors in Mean Streets. Since the film is based on real life experiences, the producer, Martin Scorsese, puts the pieces quickly. These pieces are well executed by the actors who have in the past, coincidentally, lived in little Italy and have had the same experiences.

De Niro grew up in ‘Bleecker Street, the northern frontier of Little Italy’. The third pro in the film is in the use of camera. Martin Scorsese employs the use of camera, lightning, and space in a much-refined way, thereby showing the viewer only what he feels the viewer should see. In the opening scenes of the film, the key characters have scenes of their own, which introduces the viewer to the main characters (IMDb, 2012). Furthermore, the filtered camera angles usage continues with the director having scenes shot from above and sometimes from below.

A hand held camera is used for dynamic scenes compared to the movable long shot cameras. The lighting creates balance and the intelligent editing ensures the full capacity of the impact to the viewer. The fourth pro in Mean Street is the director’s, Martin Scorsese utility of color. The color used gives the picture an intense tone, which is incredibly striking. The light in the bars are red and outside have an over-exposed and monochrome color (IMDb, 2012). The director chooses to use popular music as the soundtrack in Mean Streets.

In addition, the music is functional as it sets the mood for the film. The theme of the film