American Gangster Movie Review
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American Gangster is a crime film based on a true story set in New York City in the late 1960s-early 1970s. The film follows two main characters: Frank Lucas and Richie Roberts. Frank Lucas (Denzel Washington) was a gangster who takes control of the Harlem neighborhood after his long-time boss, and very influential man, Bumpy Johnson dies. Lucas makes a fortune and becomes one of the most powerful men in the city by buying very strong heroin straight from the source (Thailand) and transporting it back into America using planes carrying returning Vietnam soldiers. By cutting out the middle man, he is able to sell his more powerful product for a cheaper price. In a sense, Frank Lucas is like an Italian mob boss, except he was an African American with even more influence. Richie Roberts (Russell Crowe) is an honest New York City cop who doesn’t fit in with the department filled with many corrupt officers. He is especially an outcast once he does the right thing and turns in nearly $1 million he found unmarked in a mobster’s car. Roberts is then approached by a federal agent and is tasked with catching the local suppliers, and eventually Frank Lucas.
The movie simultaneously follows the storylines these two main characters create, drawing it out, allowing the viewer to really get to know both characters. While I wouldn’t consider it an action film, it did have some good action scenes. On IMDb, some reviewers complained the film was too long, drawing out some areas too much. I would disagree with this because, while the film was long (2.5 hrs.), everything included was necessary to fully understand the plot. There was a lot that went into the New York City crime scene that made the movie more complex than just the storyline of a cop trying to bring down a gangster. Many of the NYPD was corrupt and wanted part of Frank Lucas’s drug trade, as well as ¾ of the New York DEA finally being convicted of corruption. The movie accurately portrays how much easier it was for mob bosses to succeed in that time period than today.
The acting by both the main characters, Denzel Washington and Russell Crowe, was excellent. They really molded into their characters, which pulled me in quickly. It was not an unfamiliar role for Denzel, but he plays those parts so well. Both characters were so good at their jobs in the movie that it intrigues the viewer early on, causing you to wonder who will come out on top (the good guy or the bad guy) in the end. Aside from being a good plot, it made it that much more intriguing for me knowing that it was based on a true story. It was like watching a documentary with a plot and good acting. This was the first time I’ve ever seen this movie and I would definitely watch it again. I’m usually not one for longer movies, but every minute had me captivated, making it seem shorter than it was. While it’s not on the same level as many of the mafia movies, it is very good in its own right and one that every fan of the crime genre should watch.
Rating: 4.25/5
Garett