Film review communication 240 - Essay Example

This makes the 112 minute film a must watch for everyone as it teaches about mobs, loan sharks, crime and above all the value of friendship. The main actors are Charlie (Harvey Keitel) and Johnny boy (Robert De Niro). A review of this film will reveal the integration of mafia in the society and their influence on individuals, the value of friendship and love and how the three can get intertwined even in the simplest of society members. The story surrounds the lives of Johnny boy who is a gambler and owes a lot of money to the loan sharks all of which has been used in his small time gambling problem and Charlie who is involved with the New York Mafia and also collects debts for his uncle Giovanni (Cesare Danova) who is in the mafia.

The friendship between the two prevents Charlie from moving to join the New York Mafia because he feels responsible over the reckless Johnny boy and also because he is secretly having an affair with Johnny’s cousin Teresa. Charlie and Johnny are shot at by Michael (Richard Romanus) who is a local loan shark who Johnny owes money to while trying to get out of town but they survive though Charlie’s shot hand causes them to have a crash. . Teresa, for example, looks and acts like a weakling and there is no doubt that she is epileptic.

The same can be said of Charlie who is composed, businesslike and suits the role of a debt collector and also friend. Johnny boy just seems lost and out of touch and it therefore does not come as a surprise to the viewer when he insults the loan arks instead of humbling himself. The cinematography of the film cannot be any better. When it comes to the lighting for example it is a bit dark in the gambling houses where Johnny boy visits and full of noise. When Charlie and Johnny are shot at and crash, the same cinematography effects displayed make it appear real, the movement during the crash and the mood when the ambulance arrives together with the lighting all makes it perfect.

Compared to the other films and works of the director Martin Scorsese, mean streets is just the best and most enjoyed and positively rated film. This may be attributed to the fact that it is based on real life experiences and the settings of the film are from the vivid memories of the director. The fact is that in this film, Scorsese wrote the script while on the streets of Little Italy and even acted in it himself may also be a cause of such a captivating movie. Conclusion Based on the above positive review of this film, it is evident that it paved way for the modern dramas involving crime.

The viewer cannot regret the decision to sit for over an hour deeply engrossed in this exemplary literary work and hence can be recommended to all. All these positive reviews are in addition to the fact that with a budget of $500,000, the movie was not expensive to