The film was very well received by the critics in general. Some even hailinghailed it as one of the bestmost original American films of all time. [[Pauline Kael]] being the most enthusiastic of them all calling it "a true original, and a triumph of personal filmmaking" and "dizzyingly sensual".<ref> [http://www.geocities.com/paulinekaelreviews/m4.html]</ref> Other critics like [[Dave Kehr]] of the ''[[Chicago Reader]]'' said "the acting and editing have such original, tumultuous force that the picture is completely gripping".<ref name="rt">[http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/mean_streets/ Rottentomatoes. Mean Streets]</ref> [[Vincent Canby]] of the ''[[New York Times]]'' reflected that "no matter how bleak the milieu, no matter how heartbreaking the narrative, some films are so thoroughly, beautifully realized they have a kind of tonic effect that has no relation to the subject matter".<ref>[http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/mean_streets/?page=2&critic=columns&sortby=date&name_order=asc&view=#contentReviews]</ref> One of Scorsese's long supporters [[Roger Ebert]] of the ''[[Chicago Sun-Times]]'' wrote that "In countless ways, right down to the detail of modern TV crime shows, Mean Streets is one of the source points of modern movies."<ref>[http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20031231/REVIEWS08/401010340/1023]</ref> ''[[Time Out]]'' magazine called it "One of the best American films of the decade".<ref name="rt"/> Currently the movie has a 98% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes based on 43 reviews.<ref name="rt"/>
