American Gangster
Aroview: Hefty gangster flick in the tradition of SCARFACE, SERPICO, et. al., but based on an amazing true story: Washington plays Frank Lucas, the driver to a legendary proto-pimp who becomes a Harlem drug kingpin; Crowe plays the one honest cop who plans to bring it all down.
Helmed by hitmaker (and occasional flop-producer) Ridley Scott, this gangland tome is executed with grunt and sudden impact, though falls well short of the caliber of THE GODFATHER and other likeminded crime epics. Within the grubby, authenticated milieu of 70s New York, Washington oozes command and charisma, even if the film makes a meal out of moralising his drug racketeering; Crowe, too, is an able foil, self-deprecatingly weathered and overweight in a role that might've otherwise lacked dimension.
Member Reviews
Average rating
(Very Good). Showing 1-3 of 4 member reviews.
4 stars (Very Good) ~normfilmbuff
4 stars (Very Good) A solid gangster drama by Ridley Scott, this is powerful and ambitious, with good performances and the usual crime sentiments, but doesn't quite rise to the top of the gangster flick list. ~Tom H
3 stars (Good Enough) ~tubbs
Read all member reviews
DVD Features
Close Relatives
Keywords Drugs, Minority & Race Relations.