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 tale of Frank Lucas (Denzel Washington), a real-life Harlem crime lord who built an empire on Southeast Asian heroin in the 1970s. In succession parallel to Lucas’s somewhat standard tale is the investigation led by a persistent New Jersey cop, Richie Roberts (Russell Crowe). Roberts is a more fascinating character than Lucas–too honest for his own excellent, 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 hard to chew entertainment, fueled by the presence of two huge stars effective 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 reflect 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 place collectively. Everywhere Empire fails, American Gangster prevails everywhere historical accuracy is needed as well as a excellent background tale. It’s violent and sometimes shocking, but being an avid gangster/crime fan i know that compared to others this is nearly nothing. A brilliant biopic of New York gangster Frank Lucasm the film also utilises Lucas’s link with the Italian Mafia perfectly, giving you nearly 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 nearly blinding. Crowe does a fantastic 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 place off by either the acting or the tale. But here this is not the case, you have a right tale that does not mask Lucas’s violent life but rather describes 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 link. I would say now do not listen to the negative reviews of this film, they do no justice for the film. I’d urge this film to fans of crime flicks and those who just want a riveting film to mind. –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 huge business in taking over and there is no more room for the small 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 despises 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 miserable with the way the mob is being run and it seems he always has to pay this other mobster named Jazz off. It is also hard to find excellent 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 fault because his wife says he is never with his kid. With 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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