This week on Our Hero De Niro, Mike and Mike are joined by their friend Andrew for a deep dive into Mean Streets, Scorsese's raw, Catholic guilt–soaked breakthrough and Robert De Niro's first iconic role as the chaotic Johnny Boy. Together, they discuss the film's wandering structure, evocative street-level style, and what it means to live with sin when absolution isn't coming. Plus: the nature of expressionism, needle drop overload, and Tyler Perry vs. Ernest Films.

Wikipedia page for Mean Streets.

Films recommended this episode:

• Bad Lieutenant
• The Godfather
• Empire Records

Follow Mike and Mike on Letterboxd: @mikebackatyou and @mikethefab, email them at [email protected], and follow them on Instagram at @ourherodeniro.

Next week: Raging Bull

Supplemental Link:

• MikeBackAtYou, Andrew, and Mikethefab
• Caroline's Mean Streets episode fan art