Denzel Washington stars as Frank Lucas, the illustrious shrewd Harlem heroin kingpin of the late 1960s-early '70s. He is juxtaposed with Richie Roberts (Russell Crowe), a good willed New Jersey cop bundled with the righteousness of Serpico within. Based on a true story, American Gangster unfolds as two parallel stories which are ultimately on a collision course. As the movie is lengthy, patience is required on the viewer's end while Scott covers a lot of ground at a rapid pace, leading to a long awaited ending confrontation.
With his distinct swagger, an intelligent Lucas devises a scheme to be the king of New York. Effectively cutting out the middle man and his competition, Lucas flies to Vietnam and develops a business deal with a heroin supplier. From Vietnam, hundreds and hundreds of kilos of 100 percent pure heroin will be shipped directly to Lucas in New York, cleverly using military personal.
To avoid spoilers, I will only say that Denzel is one true badass. His intensity flares (as seen in Training Day) as he takes his enterprise to the next level. Lucas does not negotiate. He gives you one warning (maybe) and if you don't heed it, then he takes action. By no means is Lucas afraid to get his hands dirty as he will kill his enemies in cold blood on public display. Strangely, he seduces us with his lack of mercy or remorse. Intense scenes are captivating and keep you engrossed even more as the film progresses.
In contrast, Richie Roberts is an honest cop who is treated as a pariah by coworkers. While Roberts is surrounded by the sea of corruption at the station, he maintains his ethical standards as he refuses to take a dime. He is a true underdog working against immense odds. His coworkers don't trust him and shun him for turning in $1 million he found in a trunk. He believes he is doing the right thing in living an honest life.
Frank Lucas is the driving force of the film as he draws us in by splitting our loyalties. The film's structure gives equal time to Richie as we shift back and forth between Lucas's rise to fame, and Roberts's struggle to pin a case on the slippery Lucas.
Ridley Scott's direction reveals an understanding in the heart of this film showing that Lucas's drug empire functions similarly as legitimate corporations. Frank Lucas gets the best product and sells it at a price half the Italian mob families do, effectively creating a monopoly. The movie encompasses the rise of black entrepreneurial capitalism, while the corruption of law enforcement demonstrates the shadowy crossover between the two.
American Gangster smoothly combines fact-based events with recognizable elements from other classic crime dramas. The two performances push and pull against one another as the two opposites merge into one intense explosion at the climax. American Gangster is a gripping film and will have you on the edge of your seat until the very end.
John Berkowitz
American Gangster
Denzel Washington stars as Frank Lucas, the illustrious shrewd Harlem heroin kingpin of the late 1960s-early '70s. He is juxtaposed with Richie Roberts (Russell Crowe), a good willed New Jersey cop bundled with the righteousness of Serpico within. Based on a true story, American Gangster unfolds as two parallel stories which are ultimately on a collision course. As the movie is lengthy, patience is required on the viewer's end while Scott covers a lot of ground at a rapid pace, leading to a long awaited ending confrontation.
With his distinct swagger, an intelligent Lucas devises a scheme to be the king of New York. Effectively cutting out the middle man and his competition, Lucas flies to Vietnam and develops a business deal with a heroin supplier. From Vietnam, hundreds and hundreds of kilos of 100 percent pure heroin will be shipped directly to Lucas in New York, cleverly using military personal.
To avoid spoilers, I will only say that Denzel is one true badass. His intensity flares (as seen in Training Day) as he takes his enterprise to the next level. Lucas does not negotiate. He gives you one warning (maybe) and if you don't heed it, then he takes action. By no means is Lucas afraid to get his hands dirty as he will kill his enemies in cold blood on public display. Strangely, he seduces us with his lack of mercy or remorse. Intense scenes are captivating and keep you engrossed even more as the film progresses.
In contrast, Richie Roberts is an honest cop who is treated as a pariah by coworkers. While Roberts is surrounded by the sea of corruption at the station, he maintains his ethical standards as he refuses to take a dime. He is a true underdog working against immense odds. His coworkers don't trust him and shun him for turning in $1 million he found in a trunk. He believes he is doing the right thing in living an honest life.
Frank Lucas is the driving force of the film as he draws us in by splitting our loyalties. The film's structure gives equal time to Richie as we shift back and forth between Lucas's rise to fame, and Roberts's struggle to pin a case on the slippery Lucas.
Ridley Scott's direction reveals an understanding in the heart of this film showing that Lucas's drug empire functions similarly as legitimate corporations. Frank Lucas gets the best product and sells it at a price half the Italian mob families do, effectively creating a monopoly. The movie encompasses the rise of black entrepreneurial capitalism, while the corruption of law enforcement demonstrates the shadowy crossover between the two.
American Gangster smoothly combines fact-based events with recognizable elements from other classic crime dramas. The two performances push and pull against one another as the two opposites merge into one intense explosion at the climax. American Gangster is a gripping film and will have you on the edge of your seat until the very end.
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