American Gangster (2007) User Reviews

Detractors of this film were fooled by the trailer.

[andrewfreeley87 · 8/10 · 24 October 2007]

American Gangster has been really hated upon in many of the former posts I have read. Yet it seems like they are all saying the same thing, that Gangster didn't have enough action and was really drawn out. Anyone who has every seen a Ridley Scott film will know that his films are long! Blade Runner, A Good Year, Matchstick Men, Hannibal, Black Hawk Down, Gladiator, G.I. Jane, Thelma and Louis, and Alien all ran for at least two hours or more, so big surprise there guys. In addition Scott didn't set out to film another scarface, he set out to tell a story not just about Frank Lucas but rather a tale of corruption and how pervasive it is. One user commented that this film had many side story lines that "bloated" the story. This is completely untrue as every "side story" is actually the overarching story about the fight against corruption in every facet of life, even Frank Lucas attempts several times to eradicate the corruption in his organization.

Over all this is a great film which really gets into every nook and cranny of an issue. Don't see this film if your just looking for cheap thrills, this is a thinking film about the pervasive dishonesty of our culture.

I gave this film 8 stars because i could find nothing solid that detracted from it, but rather a slew of minor details which gradually brought its score down. But I will put this film in my top films for the year, if only because I have been immensely unsatisfied with the bulk of releases this year.

"My Man"

[ElijahCSkuggs · 9/10 · 28 October 2007]

Ridley Scott's new flick American Gangster was a good one. Though Im not gonna be saying it's the best film of the year or anything like that. It was directed well, barely any dull scenes, great acting by an enormous cast and was really well-written. Unfortunately the story never seemed "new" to me. I was reminded of other drug-related/crime movies, like BLOW, CITY OF GOD, and evening TRAINING DAY....."My Man". Though it's in the leagues as being entertaining as the above mentioned movies, it really just never felt like I was watching a "new" story. But speaking of story, I never knew anything about Frank Lucas, and his story is fantastic. A black man who was more influential than his Mafian brethren? Tell me you're kidding. Nope, he was a force in Harlem back in the late 60s and early 70s and barely anyone knows about it. But for me this area of the film was the only stand out part. Sure there are other good scenes, done well, but nothing worth mentioning. Well, scratch that, naked women workin in a drug lab was an eye-opening scene.

Denzel Washington won the Oscar when he portrayed the crooked cop in Training Day who said "My Man" all the time. Well, in the American Gangster you got him saying this line again, and by God does he have it down. There are scenes when you know he's gonna say it, and he still pulls it off incredibly well. Denzel is one actor you really never have to worry about it in the acting department. You've got Russell "Mr. Oscar" Crowe playing the other lead, and like always, he always has the character down. He was great in this flick, the accent, the mannerisms, all of it. Though, his character's story was interesting in that he was in charge of the case to figure out who the big boy druglords were, his side story with his wife was for me the "dull" parts of the film. They were well-acted and all that, but mostly, it was just character development that isn't needed. Russell Crowe's good enough an actor to portray a struggling cop without a family problem. And also let me say Josh Brolin as the crooked cop was great. I didn't need a side-story of him doing tons of drugs and banging prostitutes....but ya know he was doing it.

American Gangster was a really good flick. It had amazing acting mixed with scenes that shed a new light on drug-trafficking....or should I say Old light. Though since there are so many other drug/crime cop films out there it seems a little been there done that. But don't let that sway you if you enjoy good movies and or crime films. And also, Frank Lucas is one hell of an interesting personality. My man. 8.5 outta 10

Surprisingly Coherent

[vidarium · 9/10 · 26 October 2007]

Watch American Gangster without preconceived ideas. While the film is long it never drags. You don't get the sense that you've seen this movie before. It's not Serpico. It's not The Wire. It's not The Sopranos. While much is going on, the story is easy to follow. There is action, but this isn't an "action movie".

Both Denzel Washington and Russell Crowe act convincingly and give depth to their characters.

The film leaves you wanting to know more about about happened to the lead characters. You care about them that much. Now *that's* film making.

Ridley Rocks!

[dianewds · 10/10 · 2 November 2007]

Finally a good, accurate, gangster drug-trafficking film that makes you think. It's far from Polyanna and lets no-one group off; not gangsters of any race or ethnicity, not cops on the take, addicts, etc. And importantly, the story, based upon the true life story of Frank Lucas, does not profile a stereotypical black gangster gone wrong but instead shows an elegant, intellectual man who rises to the top of his game but then learns something new in the end. The film is a sure-shot into the Oscars but more importantly, for me, it's a film that is socially responsible and imparts a thoughtful message for any viewer,especially in light of current times.

Technically, it's got it all going on. Script,Camera, lighting,and not only par excellence from Crowe and Washington but the entire acting cast. The film uses fabulous close-ups and unbelievably good action shots. I disagree with any reviews that claim the movie is not packed with enough action or violence. How tiresome that would be! Instead, while including some of the best action/violent shots ever filmed, Mr. Ridley gives us a relevant and real-life look into the narcotics business top-to-bottom and across the board. I would far prefer to see a movie that has a dozen or so magnificently staged violent shots that dare to go deeper and translate both internal as well as external motivations as to depict real life. The film is not only entertaining; its portrayal is authentic to the real life grizzly and sometimes grayed world of crime/justice as well as didactic and amazingly...uplifting. What a nice surprise.

well-acted gritty characters

[SnoopyStyle · 8/10 · 7 February 2015]

It's 1968 Harlem. Frank Lucas (Denzel Washington) is the right hand man to Robin Hood gangster Bumpy Johnson. When Bumpy dies, Frank tries to take over. He becomes a powerful gangster importing heroin directly from the South East Asian jungle source. Detective Trupo (Josh Brolin) leads a group of corrupt cops reselling seized drugs back on the street. Richie Roberts (Russell Crowe) is a rough and tumble honest cop who tracks down the source for the heroine which killed his partner. Meanwhile Lucas faces against mob boss Dominic Cattano (Armand Assante) and Trupo.

It's a vast interconnected crime drama with deep complex well-written characters played by some of the best actors around. It's gritty and dark with good flashes of the Ridley Scott style. It references the French Connection. It doesn't have quite the immediate realism of the documentary style movie. However, Scott is able to meticulously recreate it. Both Washington and Crowe are powerful in their separate sides of the story.

A cops and gangsters classic!

[superduperspit · 10/10 · 26 October 2007]

Starting off, this probably shouldn't be grouped in as a mob film. For one, Crowe's character is as much the lead as Denzel, this is a cops catching the criminal movie. But also, there's not much mob, it's Frank Lucas at the top and everyone else trying to attach to him, he's one man and that is made very clear.

American Gangster works on numerous levels. It's in part a portrait of late 60s-early 70s Harlem and America, full of drugs and desperation and weakness, where the strong rise above the rest and the cops are dirtier than the rats. As a crime thriller it's entertaining and at 2 hours 37 minutes, never loses interest. But, maybe most surprisingly, it's also a superb character drama and study. Literally every character who steps on screen is compelling, has depth to them, has their motivations, and is tossed into conflict. For example there's a scene early on where Crowe's character Richie and his partner are searching a parked car and find a very large amount of unmarked money in the trunk. Without giving away more, it and the following scenes lead to some surprising moral and character statements by Scott. Richie's morals vs everyone else the temptation of the streets is commonly laid on him throughout the film, and thanks to Crowe's great great performance, it adds a lot to the movie.

Denzel is brilliant here. Frank Lucas, with his collected yet fiery, always powerfully menacing performance is one of the better king bosses I can think of in recent memory. When he's not talking, just the way his face is set, he totally totally gets in this character. The academy would do right to easily give him a nomination this year. I also wanted to add that while the two leads don't get on screen till the last 20 minutes, they have a long extended scene that is pure dynamite and gold. They play off each other perfectly and it's well worth the build-up, and maybe are among the highlights of each performance.

Going through supporting actors, Josh Brolin gives one of the year's most surprising performances as an insufferable and despicable dirty cop. He's so slimy, money-grubbing, and yet intelligent and an equal, he's just cunning. Cuba Gooding, Jr. is decent in his one scene, though it's hampered by being mostly unneeded. Chiwetal Ejifor makes a believable side character though he's not given as much to do, and finally I think Ruby Dee could be a sleeper Best Supporting Actress contender for her role as Mama Lucas. Every other short and thankless role I didn't mention is acted superbly here as well, it's a sign of a great director that they're all so on their game.

Ridley Scott's direction, brilliant, what can you say. He creates New York and the rats living in it to the point with fantastic attention to detail, and most of the scenes in the film are shot and constructed simply perfectly. This includes the short but brutally effective opening scene, which stands as one of the more memorable openings I've seen in a while. Actually any time there's gunplay or action, even if there isn't that much overall, it's stunning. Particularly, at the end there's a police raid scene that stands as the "holyyyy crap" sequence of the film. Going from a hallway to a heroine preparing apartment, and without revealing anything more, it's incredible, simply incredible. Remember when people were going nuts over the tracking shot gimmick in Children of Men? I felt that way about this one. If there's a god, Ridley will finally pick up his directing Oscar this year, he deserves it for this and his wide career.

American Gangster is probably one of the best cop-based films I've seen, and up there with gangster ones. It does one of the best jobs of examining the rise and fall of a crime or drug boss right from the beginning, and dives right into on the other side what it means to be a cop and to strive for something, as well as just telling an awesome and magnificently directed gangster story.

One of the year's very finest films.

A Solid Film

[alexkolokotronis · 7/10 · 18 February 2008]

Unfortunately from listening to everyone else I was expecting some sort of masterpiece. That is not what I believe what I got. Yet it was still a very good movie.

The acting performances were also good but not great. Denzel Washington gave a very good performance but not Oscar worthy, it felt like I have seen this before from him. Russell Crowe just was not given the room to actually act. I wish Crowe would have been given more of an opportunity to show off his talent. Josh Brolin gave the best performance as a corrupt police officer. He displayed perfectly the corrupt cop blackmailing both sides for the benefit of himself. I do not really understand the Oscar nomination for Ruby Dee playing Frank Lucas mother. She barley even had a cameo in this movie. It is kind of sad to see how far Cuba Gooding Jr. has fallen not having much of a role in this movie.

What really kept this movie up and kind of brought it down was its steady flow and writing. It did show you some interesting things such as going to Vietnam and having a very unique and surprising place to smuggle in the drugs. Yet as I mentioned before the performances were good but not great because of the writing. I attribute this to the writing. Some of the writing did not allow some of the actors to expand as much as they could have on their roles.

Also the directing was very good but not great. Ridley Scott did show some interesting scenes and had good camera shot. The cinematography was good as well. Yet because the performances were not to great that brings him down because his job to guide arguably two of the best actors today.

This movie was a bit over-hyped but I would still recommend it. This probably could have received more recognition from the Oscars though.

a big, intense American crime movie, led by stars and director in top form

[Quinoa1984 · 9/10 · 4 November 2007]

American Gangster seems on the surface to be what has been dubbed by some critics as "the black Scarface." As Ridley Scott's new film details, this isn't really the case aside from the point of 'rose up from nothing became something through crime', which could be said about almost every gangster film including the Godfather. Here Scott and screenwriter Steve Zaillian, without calling attention to it ala Paul Haggis, have made a film about class issues underneath the typical gangster-movie form. Even more than the Departed, one sees as the film goes on an environment of paradox: Frank Lucas was a low-life, a killer, a ruthless thug, and at the same time found time to take his mother to church every Sunday and gave out turkeys to folks in the neighborhood while providing them enough dope to die off in the process.

In fact, Scarface has got nothing on Frank Lucas when it comes to moral complexity: here's a man who did rise up out of poverty, learned the stakes of gang life as a driver for the Harlem boss for fifteen years, and then after he died cut out the middle-man as an importer of the freshest product of heroin right out of Vietnam. Then through this there's a whole other level to American Gangster; Scott and Zaillian could have made it simply a saga of betrayals and investigation via Richie Roberts. But the side that one saw in Serpico is amplified here- it becomes all the more engrossing to see how the crooked cops and "honest" gangster Lucas were linked together, which also leads to an ending that amps up the interest. Lucas didn't get out like Henry Hill, but a good man all the same? Probably not (he ended up in jail again, as the film doesn't point out).

So there's a lot of story to explore, and Scott makes it one of the most invigorating, nostalgic (ironically speaking) New York crime films in years, as far as the storytelling goes. And like Heat, Scott gets a lot of mileage from his star power. Washington goes even deeper into the role of the villain than he did in Training Day- he plays him as classic family man, cold businessman, and charming man-of-the-community. He makes it so much his role that you can't imagine anyone else going down a Harlem street shooting a guy point blank in the head. And Crowe also adds some good subtlety to the piece, a flawed man with his family and someone who tries to keep his morality straight (the million dollars given in to the station) amidst total bully-crooks like Josh Brolin's "special" detective. By the time the two stars finally sit down for one scene, it's on par with De Niro and Pacino.

Why not a 10/10 or 4 stars? It is, despite a rightfully fleshed out narrative, with some unnecessary bits (Cuba Gooding Jr, what happened there?) on a two hour and forty minute picture. But Scott does make American Gangster gain momentum as it goes along and reaches a powerhouse climax that is first intense and bloody (it IS Scott after all), followed by a striking human angle. And it holds nothing on Scarface, at the end of it all, as far as being legitimately dramatic without the ham, as the actors and director click for most part on material that just needs to be told without any pretension- and with that dose of significance of real urban crime in the 1970s in NYC.

excellent story, flawless performances

[AdiVrj · 8/10 · 29 October 2007]

American Gangster is one of the best movies i've recently seen and it is a pleasure to watch even if you are not a gangster movies fan. The story is more captivating than i expected i must say, following Frank Lucas(Denzel Washington) - the afro-American drug lord who raised above all, even the Italian mafia - and Richie Roberts(Russel Crowe), the honest cop in a city full of corruption, sort of Frank Serpico but with less guts.

Denzel Washington delivers a marvelous performance of a man calm and patient yet heart-stopping ferocious at some points, fearless and ambitious but likable as always. His performances are always incredible, he's a great actor, the greatest afro-American actor of all time i dare to say, it's simply a pleasure to watch him in any role.

Russel Crowe delivers a good performance, he's one of the actors that never disappoint in my opinion and i think there's a great chemistry between them (Washington and Crowe) even though few scenes bring them face to face. Richie Roberts is in danger for being one of the few cops that actually do their jobs and refuse to take bribe so i think there's a big resemblance between Richie Roberts and Frank Serpico (Al Pacino 1973).

Cuba Gooding Jr. could have gotten a bigger part, or more scenes because he's a very talented actor and he proved himself many times that he's more than capable of delivering excellent performances.

The drama is less than expected but the movie is very well paced and it never gets boring even if it lasts more than two hours. Everything fits perfectly and there is an excellent antithetical presentation of the wealthy life of Frank Lucas opposite to the lives that he's drugs ruin every day, every hour, every minute...

I strongly recommend to gangster movies fans, actually to those viewers who enjoy good movies because this movie is above average and you will enjoy every second of it.

A missed opportunity given the resources assembled

[mick-137 · 6/10 · 29 September 2008]

A well-crafted film with great performances, but which lingers on the unimportant details and then strangely rushes the crux of the story. It's a bit like a Grandpa Simpson anecdote. The early sections of the film amble along at the pace of a six-episode TV show, filling in enormous amounts of the characters' back stories, much of which is simply not relevant to the plot. By the time the two main characters lives finally begin to converge, there's no time left to explore how and why their relationship develops the way it does--which is the really interesting part of the story. This has the odd effect of making the denouement, even though it is based on fact, seem somewhat unlikely.

Excellent crime-drama

[grantss · 9/10 · 23 December 2015]

Excellent crime-drama.

The story of Frank Lucas, the man who built a massive drug empire largely from scratch, and Richie Roberts, the outcast cop who took him down. Shows Lucas' rise to power, through ingenuity, business sense and plain ruthlessness and how he managed to fly under the police's (and many other people's) radar for so long. Also shows how the cops eventually pinpointed him as the drug kingpin they were after, their investigations and how they eventually got him.

Great storytelling from director Ridley Scott. He builds the details, and shows the history of the two protagonists, in parallel for a while. Then he builds the tension as everything comes together. In the end you have a great no-pretence, gritty, almost old-fashioned film noir gangster movie.

Great work by Denzel Washington and Russell Crowe in the lead roles. Good supporting cast too.

On the negative side, there are a few sub-plots and scenes which seem unnecessary (eg the Cuba Gooding angle). In addition, there are some turns of events that seem implausible, especially towards the end (eg Roberts as both cop and prosecutor). This doesn't take too much away from quality of the movie though.

Gripping Characters/Frightening Events

[Hitchcoc · 8/10 · 22 February 2011]

I guess this is a fictional retelling of actual events. The character of Frank (Denzel Washington) is the story of a man, who because of his own issues with the abuse of being a black man with few prospects, driven to become "great." Unfortunately, his greatness is tied up in exporting pure heroin from Vietnam and selling it. He is a murderer, a liar, and every way a criminal. He is charming on the outside and deadly on the inside. There is no way that a thinking person could admire him. If his vendetta and his business were directed only at bad guys, we might think that it is OK. But he kills indiscriminately, many dying as innocent victims. Russell Crowe's prosecutor is determined and insightful. He is himself a loner (a role Crowe does well at in many films), but he must butt heads all the way along. He has committed a "crime." He has found and returned thousands of dollars in drug money found on a case. He is seen as a bit of an idiot and hence not on of "the guys." Everything plays out well. Two masterful actors doing what they do best. I think my most memorable scene is the one where they come upon the poppy fields in Vietnam where this stuff is being cooked and dried. It would be like going to SonyCorp or some big Asian business; but this is a factory used to make one of the most destructive substances. See this because it is a fascinating story and it is masterfully done.

Keeps The Viewer Involved And Interested....Well Done.

[AudioFileZ · 9/10 · 26 October 2007]

The story about Frank Lucas is one that proves fact is more interesting than fiction. The fact that such a character really did exist yet I do not remember it certainly intrigues me. I guess I was just too young at the time it broke. Now approaching my later forties finds me longing to research it further after seeing this movie.

I get the feeling Ridley Scott was amazed a person such as Frank Lucas was actually able to do what he did and live to tell about it. I certainly share that amazement. The care in which he tells the story serves it well. Though it's basically a gangster movie it's not particularly graphic in violence except in a few scenes. Even Denzel's and Russel's portrayals of the two central characters are not quite as dark as the usual more stereotypical gangster/cop persona...Still there is a sense of doom and danger ever present as the viewer knows neither law enforcement, government, or mafia will let this man's drug empire go on.

To sum it up I believe this is an excellent telling of a true crime story. It's intriguing, entertaining, and certainly serves as a cautionary reminder to remain vigilant in combating drugs.

The Black Godfather

[Abyss47 · 9/10 · 15 December 2013]

When I first saw the film, I didn't find it all that engaging, but by the time I got around to seeing the extended cut, I warmed up to it. It's a terrific crime film that accomplishes damn near everything it set out to do, and with an amazing cast of performers along with a stellar lead performance and riveting direction from director Ridley Scott (in top form here), it's one of the essential American crime movies of the past decade, drawing influence upon genre classics - such as Superfly, Goodfellas, and Black Caeser, while effortlessly carving its own identity. If you're not big on crime films, most of your enjoyment from this will be based on how much you like the cast and how familiar you are with their work, but one can't deny how well made and polished the film is.

Blue Magic Heroin and Frank Lucas

[claudio_carvalho · 8/10 · 29 June 2008]

In 1968, the loyal driver, bouncer and collector Frank Lucas (Denzel Washington) witnesses the death of his boss and mentor Bumpy Johnson (Clarence Williams III) and finds that Harlem lost its leadership. Frank decides to import heroin direct from the source in Bangkok, establishing a logistic of transportation using the US military airplanes from Vietnam to USA. The quality of his product associated to the trade mark "Blue Magic" and the lower prices bring Frank Lucas to the position of number one distributor of heroin in USA. Meanwhile, in the Essex County, the incorruptible detective Richie Roberts (Russell Crowe) that is studying for the Bar Examination is invited to join and head a Federal Investigation Force of Narcotics, seeking the leaders of the dealers in North America.

"American Gangster" is a gangster movie based on the story of the powerful drug dealer Frank Lucas in times of Vietnam War, showing the absolute corruption in the police and the saga of an obstinate honest detective. The direction of Ridley Scott gives an adequate pace to the plot, supported by a magnificent cast leaded by Denzel Washington and Russell Crowe. In spite of being a good film, the IMDb User Rating Top 250: #210 is overrated. My vote is eight.

Title (Brazil): "O Gangster" ("The Gangster")

Two Great Actors Elevate This Scarface-Like Story

[ccthemovieman-1 · 8/10 · 7 March 2008]

The best thing this movie had going for it - which is no surprise - is the acting duo of Denzel Washington and Russell Crowe. How many bad movies do you see with either of those guys starring in them? Not many, and neither actor disappoints here. Both play fascinating guys, Washington, a big gangster ("Frank Lucas") and Crowe, an honest cop ("Richie Roberts")

This movie reminded me a lot of the '83 "Scarface" film in which Tony Montana (Al Pacino) rises from the bottom up to be a big drug lord, only to have things crumble big-time. We see a similar tale here with "Lucas," except that his fall is sudden in this story, unlike Pacino's character.

Director Ridley Scott and photographer Harris Savides also give us a slick- looking film, very pretty spots and stylishly-directed.

The story wasn't quite as good as the people who photographed it and acted in it. It's still a good one in that it entertains. I was never bored despite the two- and-a-half-hour length of it. I was a bit confused in the first 25 minutes but things straightened out after that.

The supporting cast in here is very deep with a lot of familiar faces, going all the way back to 83-year-old Ruby Dee. A new, young face - Lamari Nadal - is a real beauty. She plays Frank's wife, who is a lot nicer character than the one Michelle Peiffer played in "Scarface."

A key to whether you enjoy this or not - if you haven't seen it - might be your expectations. Know in advance there is not a ton of action in this tough crime movie and don't listen to all the hype that this is "the best film of the year." Just expect a decent movie with good acting and instead of a lot of blood and guts, and you should enjoy it. That's how I looked at it, and it worked for me. It was entertaining enough for me that I'd watch it again.

Unoriginal Boring Disappointment

[MovieMan1975 · 7/10 · 5 November 2007]

American Gangster may be the most boring, unoriginal, flaccid film that Ridley Scott has yet to make.

Coming from the man who created Alien, Gladiator, Black Hawk Down, and Blade Runner, it boggles my mind as to why this film was not infused whatsoever with his signature style, pacing, and panache.

This film tries so hard to be a sweeping epic crime saga, but in the end, cannot hold a candle to any Martin Scorsese work, for instance.

American Gangster is dull. Its also boring, pointless, flat, limp, and completely cliché ridden.

A combination of Serpico, Dead Presidents, Donnie Brasco, Goodfellas, Carlito's Way, and what have you... this film ends up being a mishmash, using mostly the boring parts of the aforementioned films.

None of the characters of very engrossing, with Denzel Washington's character coming across as inauthentic and about as deep as a puddle of water in the Gobi.

Interestingly enough, the film has no major glaring flaws, a testament to Ridley Scott's experience and craft. The script is acceptable, but lacking any style or idiosyncrasy and lacking any real depth. The story has no message, no meat - its just a random story; even having it based on real events gave it no gravitas. The acting is also acceptable, but lacking any bravado. Crowe is his likable credible self, showing flashes of energy - but unfortunately his character is nothing but a poor man's Frank Serpico. Denzel somehow totally misses the mark. His character is seriously underwritten, and Denzel gives us one note for almost 3 hours - and that is mostly of his now trademark "self-righteous African American". Despite being the "bad guy" in the film, Denzel does not give us a true villain. If the moral ground of this character is supposed to be grayed, giving us an anti-hero, its not. At least not sufficiently to give Denzel proper ammo to work with. What we get is a murderer and drug dealer, who is not such a bad guy because he buys a white man's mansion for his mother. Somebody please hold the bucket whilst I puke in it.... The rest of the supporting cast is also serviceable, but like the leads, lacks any true punch. One exception is Josh Brolin, who gives the one memorable turn as a crooked cop. The look of the film is interesting - a kind of grayish beige-ish wash out... as if you are looking at "cleaned up" 70's footage. However, like everything else in the film, the camerwork lacks the ballet and balls of Ballhaus or Richardson, for instance. Considering how Ridley Scott has taken the visuals of most his films to the limits, its a major disappointment that he decided to make the aesthetics of this film to be one dimensional.

The generic title of this film should have been a red-flag that American Gangster was going to be a flat, cliché-d, overlong flaccid crime "epic", with no interesting visuals, a boring pointless story, and characters devoid of any interest.

Gritty suspense

[keithcarv · 8/10 · 8 February 2020]

Scott managed to weave two stories together into an epic crime drama. Washington rules the screen with each scene he's in and Crowe is solid, if not spectacular. Other than those two, this film is much more about the story that it is the characters. Still, this film is highly entertaining if not a bit lengthy.

A strange but effective mix of "movie gangster epic" and The Wire which produces more strengths than weaknesses (but does produce both)

[bob the moo · 28 November 2007]

Having spent over a decade as Bumpy Johnson's driver, Frank Lucas looks to step up into the gap following his death. Looking to avoid the glitz and publicity of his peers, Lucas makes a connection in the Far East after seeing a news article on the abundance of drugs and its impact on US soldiers. Using military aircraft to transport the goods, Lucas enlists his family and trusted associates to put a cheaper but higher quality product onto the streets, quickly dominating the market – his low profile meaning he avoids the traps of dirty cops and investigations. Meanwhile clean, but deeply unpopular cop Richie Roberts is allowed to put together a small unit to look into the source of the new wave of drugs.

I do like my crime dramas and it seemed obvious to me that I would enjoy American Gangster given the calibre of people involved in it and, watching it last night, I must say that I did find it a satisfying and enjoyable film. The pace is comparatively slow but yet the story comes over as packed – not busy to the point of being hustle and bustle but more just constantly engaging and interesting. Based on a true story, the film seems in no particular rush and I did respect this in the delivery as it allowed me room to be involved in the telling rather than it trying to constantly hold my attention with action or loud noises. Of course some viewers will feel the absence of these stimuli more than I did but for me it worked.

I was surprised by how uncinematic it felt though. Considering the sweep and scale of the last Crowe/Scott film (Gladiator), American Gangster is remarkably absent of visual flair. As other reviewers have commented it did have the feel of an episode of The Wire in how "matter of fact" it was. Of course to me there can be no higher compliment than being compared to that HBO series and personally I had no problem with this approach despite it feeling a little odd on a large screen. The cast fill that same screen though and the film is deep in names all giving solid performances or better. Washington plays his character out well while Crowe contrasts with him nicely in individual and shared scenes. Neither has a lot in the way of character development beyond the obvious but the overall approach of the film made this less important than it otherwise would have been. Supporting these two are too many people to discuss within IMDb's word limit. Ejiofor, Brolin, Levine, Common, RZA, Gooding Jr, Assante, TI, Morton and of course The Wire's own Elba all turn in supporting roles among other faces; although it should be said that anyone enamoured with Elba's Stringer Bell as I am will be disappointed with his smaller, simpler character here. If anything the cast is almost too deep as it did distract at times to be constantly thinking "that's the guy from etc" but in terms of quality it is hard to really complaint.

As I said I had no real problem with Scott's visual style and restrained "factual" delivery but in a way it could have done with learning some lessons from Scorsese. By this I specifically mean the use of music. The tracks are all great but they are not so much "used" as they are "played". Goodfellas is a great example of how to use music and somehow this film just did even try to compare – indeed even choosing some tracks that were only ever going to put the viewer in mind of another film (eg Across 110th Street from Jackie Brown). All told though I did appreciate the gritty and unflashy approach of the film as it did suit the manner of the telling.

So a strange but effective mix then. In a way it carries itself like a classic gangster tale suggesting that it sits up there with Godfather and Goodfellas. But then in other ways it channels The Wire's "matter of fact" and unflashy style to deliver an engaging and convincing story that is well delivered by all. Somehow the mix works for the greater good even if it also produces some downsides to both. Not the perfect classic that some reviews would have you believe but certainly a solid and roundly strong product that is worth seeing for many reasons.

Nearly as good as the best of Scorsese

[Leofwine_draca · 9/10 · 28 August 2012]

A tough, exquisitely-made gangster film redolent of Martin Scorsese at his best. Ridley Scott has pulled out all the stops here, making this one of his greatest ever films; if I had to choose a top form, this film would be in the list (alongside ALIEN, BLACK HAWK DOWN and GLADIATOR). American Gangster feels like an epic, a fully rounded, completely engrossing true story of one man's rise to the top in the drug trade.

Denzel Washington has long since proved his acting chops and it's no surprise that he's on top form here as Frank Lucas, an extremely ruthless henchman who decides to go into business on his own. Despite the lengthy running time and the decades-long scope of the film's narrative, what follows is never less than fully engaging. Scott is on top form as director, this film is a beauty to watch, and the various montage scenes are particularly well handled.

Playing opposite Washington is Scott regular Russell Crowe as a scruffy but dedicated cop determined to bring down his man. Crowe goes for the subtle approach, never overshadowing Washington, and he's very effective with it. The supporting cast are excellent, particularly Josh Brolin as a corrupt cop. Despite the familiarity of its format and the inevitability of its outcome, American Gangster is a film that holds its own against the other all-time American gangster greats like GOODFELLAS and CASINO.

Good, but not as brilliant as some would have us believe...

[JoeytheBrit · 6/10 · 7 April 2008]

Ridley Scott's crime opus is a real slow-burner that starts a little shakily as it struggles to introduce the central characters in a way that doesn't confuse the viewer, and proceeds to tell its epic story at a stately pace that defies both genre conventions and present-day trends. There is no doubting the quality of the product here, there's no doubting the fact that it is a relatively big and important film, and yet there's still that nagging feeling that it isn't really as good as it could have been…

Denzel Washington wins more screen time than co-star Russell Crowe and quite frankly acts Crowe off the screen. Ten years in the States and Crowe still has trouble concealing that antipodean twang when he's playing an American. While Crowe fights against his accent, Washington fights against his nice guy persona. Presumably he was chosen for this role because of that charisma – it adds depth to a bad guy when he's also a nice guy – but for some reason he just doesn't convince as this urbane businessman capable of shocking acts of brutality; his dark side simply fails to convince, and his violent outbursts too often seem too much at odds with his usual calm demeanour.

Despite these niggles, as you would expect , the film is extremely well made. Scott could make a decent film out of the shoddiest of material, and with a cast like this one you just know you're in for some quality performances. Certainly, the acting and visual style outshine the plot which – despite being based on true events – is straight out of the Warner Bros. Big Book of Gangster Stories © 1937. We are never in any doubt as to how the film will end, and it is to Scott's and writer Steven Zaillian's credit that we're still willing to stick with it to the end credits anyway.

Very Impressive Cast and Perfect Character Development,

[lesleyharris30 · 8/10 · 25 August 2013]

American Gangster is a fantastic movie with a really well developed storyline and a very talented cast.Denzel Washington and Russel Crowe both matched their characters perfectly,which I was surprised with because they both didn't seem like characters they were use to playing,it also was a very different movie for Ridley Scott,and he did a very impressive job with it.The character development in this movie is practically perfect,you mostly follow Russel Crowe and Denzel Washington's characters,and I didn't feel like they left out a lot of information and really took their time letting use get to know these characters.I would highly recommend American Gangster to all fans of gangster crime films.

Set during the seventies,Richie Roberts (Russel Crowe) will stop at nothing to bring down the massive drug business of the dangerous and highly wanted Frank Lucas (Denzel Washington).

Conventional yet compelling crime drama

[pyrocitor · 7/10 · 15 August 2008]

Certain films appear almost tailor made for success right from the moment of conception, and American Gangster proves a perfect example. Detailing the thrilling true story of a Harlem drug lord, helmed by an enormously renowned director and giving two of the finest stars in the industry the chance to generate murderous chemistry and flex their dramatic muscles, it seemed near impossible that the film could not be a runaway smash hit. And indeed it would seem this was the attitude of those involved with the production of the film, as while the film in question is hardly a failure, the impression is given of all concerned being content to coast by on the film's respective successful components instead of really pushing the envelope to extract every ounce of the film's cinematic potential. As such, American Gangster remains an engrossing and powerful piece of cinema but considering the movie magic that could have resulted, the sturdy film feels almost like a disappointment, or at the very least a somewhat misplaced opportunity.

As laudable a package as American Gangster is, the inescapable sense of it offering little of new to the crime genre and in many cases unabashedly borrowing from past efforts (one scene in particular is purloined directly from The Godfather) stifles one's appreciation of its overall quality. Had the film been released twenty or so years ago, it would doubtlessly have been praised for its storyline and thematic innovations, but after countless entries into the genre of late, characteristics such as repeatedly drawing explicit parallels and contrasts between the cop and criminal squaring off against each other and police corruption making it difficult for the one honest member to function hardly come across as revelatory. While it is clear that all parties involved have done more than their fair share of research into the life and legacy of infamous 1970s Harlem drug lord Frank Lucas, the telling of Lucas' tale falls prey to overly familiar crime film conventions so frequently that there is little to differentiate the film from countless other explorations of the rise and fall of successful drug lords apart from the nationality of the title character, proudly flaunted "true story" tag or not.

However, quality is quality, and in the hands of such an esteemed filmmaker as Ridley Scott it proves a difficult trait to avoid indeed, as Scott anchors a firm directorial grasp throughout. After a slow start, detailing Lucas' work ethic and value system, Scott's film really takes off, with the veteran director extracting the maximum possible amount of tension, cinematic power and emotional clout from the compelling story, convention aside. Scott's depiction of 1970s Harlem indeed looks and feels the part, painting a vivid and memorable picture of the highs and lows of financial offerings, albeit one that does feel like an immaculate construction without the level of grit or authenticity other filmmakers such as Scorsese have pumped from the much filmed city. However, with some quality cinematography and editing and a suitably seventies musical score the film remains an overall staunchly constructed package, despite the feeling of it being very much a package and less of a flowing story.

As title character Frank Lucas, Denzel Washington is truly the film's main centerpoint of quality, his quiet charisma and nobility creating a character who audiences can empathise with while simultaneously being repelled by without missing a beat. Rather than struggling with the differentiation, Washington inhabits the character so fully that such contradictions appear second nature, fully engrained in such an able-bodied performance. Russell Crowe is also a strong presence as Richie Roberts, the struggling, scruffy policeman striving to take Lucas down, but despite Crowe's trademark rugged charisma his performance still appears bland by his usual standards, coasting by on a simplistically written "struggling, divorced but honest cop" archetype. Ably backing the two powerhouse leads, Chiwetel Ejoifor wonderfully essays Lucas' nervy yet enthusiastically likable brother and second in command, and Josh Brolin gives a gleefully repulsive performance as a seedy, corrupt policeman. Ruby Dee shines in her few scenes, a dignified yet formidable performance as Lucas' weathered mother, and Lymari Nadal instils a quiet serenity into Lucas' beauty queen wife, preventing the character from simply becoming an undignified moll.

While American Gangster boasts impressive exteriors, on the inside it proves somewhat of a hollow effort, offering little new to its genre and seemingly lacking in genuine spark underneath the awards baiting outside. However, the quality on display cannot be ignored, and the film remains an impressively crafted, powerfully acted and undeniably compelling piece of work - if only there wasn't an ever persistent sense of missed potential throughout, an even greater film lingering frustratingly out of reach.

-7.5/10

Immensely Satisfying Crime Film

[nukfan · 10/10 · 24 February 2014]

Movies like these can't work without the right cast. I mean, I shouldn't even have to say that. It's a rule. There are plenty of different kinds of movies that can get by on style, visuals, or action all on their own. But what separates a movie like "Gangster Squad" from a movie like "American Gangster" is the cast, and how the cast is used. It has to be both.

There are lots of familiar faces in this film. On top of Washington and Crowe, you have Chiwetel Ejiofor, Idris Elba and Josh Brolin. The director is Ridley Scott, a man who knows how to helm ambitious projects, like "Black Hawk Down", "Gladiator" and "Kingdom of Heaven". The pieces are all there.

One of "American Gangster"'s biggest strengths is that there is a rich cast of characters, but the viewer is never lost, because the focus is primarily on Denzel Washington's Frank Lucas, and Russell Crowe's Richie Roberts. They carry the film, as they certainly should.

The plot is centred around a lengthy crusade by Roberts and his team to get to the bottom of New York's biggest drug conspiracy, which is of course being controlled by Lucas. This is a major theme regarding Lucas; he likes to be in control, to be able to gun down a man he doesn't like in the middle of a crowded sidewalk without any consequences. As a result, this makes his character seem all the more vulnerable when he isn't in total control of his situation.

At the same time, Roberts is fighting more than just drug crime. He isn't the most honest guy, but he just might be the most honest cop. He is repulsed by crooked cops, and as a result he estranges himself from most of his workplace kin. So, as he fights to nail down the source of the drugs, he is also fighting against everyone who considered him a "boy scout" whenever he did what he felt was right.

Everything comes together in a conclusion that rewards anyone who takes the time to savour every moment of the film's 160 minutes. I rank this among the finest crime dramas I've watched.

American Film Take a Bow...

[sallykeller-51142 · 10/10 · 14 September 2020]

One of the best anti-hero's in film history..

Frank is a drug dealer who we learn to empathise with due to the fact that there are darker corruptible sharks around him in both the criminal underbelly and law enforcement that make him look reasonable. A genius plot device that might not have been intended but creates a fantastic piece of story telling.

The casting is perfect all round and Denzel shines yet again.

Every scene drives the story forward and this is why you don't realise it goes for two hours. Studios don't let screenplays go this long so you know it's a great piece of writing.

The moral message is self contained and comes out in dribs and drabs across the entire production. We see both the long arc of justice and quick vengeance which come to a head for many characters who stir emotion in us quickly. One is a prideful stand-over man trying to fill a power vacuum after Bumpy Johnson's death and another is a wife beater. Both great tropes to illicit emotion.

A true to life cultural setting and historical war backdrop that provides some gorgeous cinematography. The only thing missing is the development of the love story subplot but there's just not enough room for it.

The slow burn of anticipation results in a crescendo of drama rather than action which is just a bonus that features in every act break.

True stories are the best stories, but sometimes you get lucky with stars that align across a production. Directors will tell you during shooting and editing, that you just never know how it's going to churn out, and nobody could have expected a master piece like this.

No political correctness, no diversity quotas, no genre mashes, no fancy log line just a legacy piece of art that we should be paying an unfair 'twenty percent' on.

Bravo.