American Gangster (2007)
Movie Title: American Gangster (2007)
Actors: Denzel Washington, Russell Crowe, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Josh Brolin, Carla Gugino
Director: Ridley Scott
Format: NTSC
Studio: Universal Pictures
Runtime: 157 min
Movie Description
Ridley Scott puts on his “sweeping saga” gameface again, this time not for the sci-fi vistas of Blade Runner or the ancient world of Gladiator but for an urban epic. American Gangster gives the story of Frank Lucas (Denzel Washington), a real-life Harlem crime lord who built an empire on Southeast Asian heroin in the 1970s. Running parallel to Lucas’s somewhat standard story is the investigation led by a persistent New Jersey cop, Richie Roberts (Russell Crowe). Roberts is a more interesting character than Lucas–too honest for his own good, unlucky in his personal life–and this kind of character, easily patronized by others, fits Crowe like a polyester shirt. Scott’s tendency to hit his points square on the noggin is much in evidence here, including the typecasting of the supporting roles and the predictable Serpico atmosphere of the whole thing. (And speaking of supporting actors, the film needs more Chiwetel Ejiofor, whose role as a Lucas sidekick feels cut down.) It succeeds as a kind of chewy entertainment, fueled by the presence of two big stars working their muscles. Both Washington and Crowe look pretty brawny here. –Robert Horton
Movie Review
Now i’ve heard some mixed reactions to this movie, and I must say I don’t think that. American Gangster is a perfect gangster film. A rise and fall film, but it is done better than both Empire and Carlito’s Way put together. Where Empire fails, American Gangster prevails where historical accuracy is needed as well as a good background story. It’s violent and sometimes shocking, but being an avid gangster/crime fan i know that compared to others this is almost nothing. A brilliant biopic of New York gangster Frank Lucasm the film also utilises Lucas’s relationship with the Italian Mafia perfectly, giving you almost a two way view of the city’s underworld. Denzel Washington excels at the part as Lucas, and Russell Crowe as the cop out to get him is almost blinding. Crowe does a great American accent, as well as portraying a cop out to just do his job but can’t properly. It’s a a film about Lucas’s rise to fame in New York’s Heroin business, and his fall due to both Crowe and police persistence. Like with most gangster films, you are always put off by either the acting or the story. But here this is not the case, you have a true story that does not mask Lucas’s violent life but rather portrays it as a life of both murder and violence. It does not glamorise his life in any way, it’s a film that says criminals never get away with what they’ve done. Both Denzel Washington and Russell Crowe are perfect in the criminal and cop relationship. I would say now do not listen to the negative reviews of this film, they do no justice for the film. I’d recommend this film to fans of crime flicks and those who just want a riveting film to watch. –jfcthejock from United Kingdom
Plot Synopsis
The film opens with Bumpy Johnson and Frank Lucas (Denzel Washington) pouring gas on a man and then lighting him on fire. As the man screams in pain, Frank shoots him. Bumpy runs Harlem in 1968 and says to Frank that big business in taking over and there is no more room for the little guy. He has a heart attack and dies. We see other mobsters showing up to this funeral.
Meanwhile Richie Roberts (Russell Crowe) is a detective who is taking classes to become a lawyer and hates public speaking. He and his partner find a million dollars in cash and they argue about turning it in, but Richie turns it in anyways.
Frank is unhappy with the way the mob is being run and it seems he always has to pay this other mobster named Tango off. It is also hard to find good drugs. Frank sees on T.V. that drugs are very cheap in Vietnam and so he buys and passport and goes to visit his cousin who owns a night club in Vietnam.
It switches back to Richie who has a marriage that is failing because his wife says he is never with his kid. After they divorce, his wife says she and her son are moving to Vegas.
Frank makes a deal with his cousin to get heroin back to the U.S. by smuggling it in coffins of dead soldiers returning from Vietnam. Since there is no middle man, Frank can sell heroin cheaper than anyone else in New York; it is also pure heroin nicknamed blue magic.
It switches back to Richie who gets a phone call in the middle of the night from his partner who is flipping out because he killed a guy. They bandage the dead guys neck to make it look like he isnt dead. Richie tells this partner that he needs help because his partner is on drugs and that is why he killed the guy in the first place. His partner gets mad and jumps out of the ambulance. Read More…
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August 9th, 2008 at 2:01 am
american gladiatorAmerican Gangster (2007)