Mean Streets

Directed by Martin Scorsese, Mean Streets follows Harvey Keitel’s Charlie as his efforts at breaking out of a criminal existence are consistently stymied by a variety of outside forces (including the actions of his hotheaded best friend, Robert De Niro’s Johnny Boy). Filmmaker Scorsese delivers a sporadically electrifying piece of work that benefits substantially from its stylish visuals and engrossing performances, and there’s little doubt, certainly, that Scorsese’s predictably dynamic approach to his and Mardik Martin’s screenplay goes a long way towards perpetuating the erratic picture’s mostly watchable atmosphere – with, especially, the viewer’s interest buoyed by a handful of unexpectedly (and impressively) engrossing sequences and set-pieces. (This is particularly true of an absolutely enthralling pool-hall fight that stands as an obvious high-water-mark within the proceedings.) And although De Niro’s energetic and frequently spellbinding turn as the volatile Johnny Boy elevates things on a somewhat regular basis, Mean Streets‘ meandering, aimless midsection, which is compounded by a decidedly overlong running time, generally prevents the viewer from wholeheartedly embracing the material or the plight of its less-than-sympathetic protagonists – with the end result a decent endeavor that isn’t, for the most part, as gripping or absorbing as Scorsese has surely intended.

**1/2 out of ****