Mean Streets

"You don't make up your sins in a church. You do it in the streets..."

Mean Streets follows antihero Charlie as he wrestles with small-time mob life against his commitment to Catholicism. Charlie sees his redemption as his support for Johnny Boy, who is in deep shit with local loan sharks, particularly Charlie's buddy, Michael. But Johnny Boy is a reckless, hedonistic mook who don't give two shits about no-one but himself. Charlie's faith in Johnny Boy leads him down a perilous street, eventually exploding in bloodshed.

The film marks Scorsese's birth into mob cinema: directing and co-writing a personal work dealing with characters he observed while growing up. Scorsese shoots the film grittily to reflect the reality of the anti-yuppies coming-of-age in a unforgiving, bleak setting of the Bronx.

Mean Streets uses music to heighten the atmospheric tension in the picture. There are two particular tracks that profoundly accentuate the image. First, The Rolling Stones "Jumpin' Jack Black", an upbeat rock 'n roll number, emphasizes the importance of reputation and respect as Charlie sizes up the bar and Johnny Boy swaggers with two girls on his arms. Second, the ironic use of "Please Mr. Postman" in the pool room rumble creates a playful feel of a boys-will-be-boys attitude.

Throughout the picture Scorsese shows flashes of his trademark cinematographic innovation. Particularly, Charlie's drunkenness is captured by the attachment of a reverse steadicam to Harvey Keitel. This creates a great effect as the audience bobs up and down with Charlie and distorts the viewers perception of movement. Scorsese creates a tight knit world that tugs the viewer until he's absorbed into the Mean Streets.

"We're not paying because this guy... this guy's a fuckin' mook."

"But I didn't say nothing."

"And we don't pay mooks."

"Mook? I'm a mook?"

"Yeah."

"What's a mook?"

"A mook. What's a mook?"

"I don't know."

"What's a mook?"

"You can't call me a mook."

"I can't?"

"Nah."