THE ASTOR REVIEW

Scorsese’s exceptional foray into the depiction of small time hoods in a big city and their day-to-day lives makes for the definitive New York/Italian gang story. Keitel tries to climb the ladder of organised crime while being hindered by his friendship with the troublesome DeNiro and his love for De Niro’s cousin. A densely choreographed work of masterful direction and characterisation. GF

IMDB SYNOPSIS

The future is set for Tony and Michael - owning a neighbour- hood bar and making deals in the mean streets of New York city's Little Italy. For Charlie, the future is less clearly defined. A small-time hood, he works for his uncle, making collections and reclaiming bad debts. He's probably too nice to succeed. In love with a woman his uncle disapproves of (because of her epilepsy) and a friend of her cousin, Johnny Boy, a near psychotic whose trouble-making threatens them all - he can't reconcile opposing values. A failed attempt to escape (to Brooklyn) moves them all a step closer to a bitter, almost preordained future.