American Gangster is a different kind of gangster movie.
Typically, we find two kinds of gangster movies in American cinema. On the one hand, you get flicks that feature the Italian Mafia (or perhaps the Russian Mafia) in some way. The presentation inevitably includes well-tailored suits and ruthless murders. On the other hand, you’ll have “black” gangster movies that are more likely to show the warfare between the Crips and Bloods, perhaps throwing 50 Cent into the mix in some way. Hip hop music ensues and some guy talks about popping a cap.
American Gangster, starring Denzel Washington and Russell Crowe (both Oscar winners), falls under neither of these categories.
Denzel Washington plays real-life American gangster Frank Lucas, a man who essentially controlled the drug trade in Harlem in the late 1960s and early 1970s. He offered a product that was better quality than the competition at a price that was lower than the competition. He learned much from mentor Bumpy Johnson, gleaning many Italian mob practices along the way as well. As a result, Lucas organized his drug empire in a very Mafia kind of way, placing his brothers in leading positions and rolling in all sorts of dough. The key to his success was eliminating the middle-man: he bought direct from a source in Southeast Asia, getting pure heroin shipped over in US military planes to New York. This was during the Vietnam War, remember.
The presentation is expertly executed and the acting is second-to-none. Denzel grabs your attention from the opening scene, where he torches a man to a crisp while shooting several bullets into his chest, and he does not let go until the movie concludes over two and a half hours later. It’s so gripping and powerful that you will literally be clenching your seat in anticipation. There is so much tension in every scene that you’ll feel like you’re constantly on the cusp of a heart attack.
There’s one scene about 45 minutes in that will particularly hit you hard. Lucas is in a Harlem diner with his brothers when he notices a rival gangster walk down the street. He excuses himself from the table to confront this other guy and let’s just say that the result will drop your jaw to the ground. I’d rather not ruin the movie for you; you really need to watch every scene to fully appreciate how it all fits together.
Denzel Washington commands your attention while on screen, whereas Russell Crowe has much more of a subdued performance as Detective Richie Roberts, a cop that may be too honest for his own good. It’s not like Crowe does a bad job, it’s just that his role isn’t quite as powerful. He almost comes off as a little dopey, rather than intelligent and dignified. The rest of the cast, including guys like Tip Harris (T.I.), Common, Cuba Gooding Jr., Josh Brolin, and the RZA, fleshes out the story terrifically. Who can forget T.I. telling Lucas, “I want whatchu have Uncle Frank.”
I particularly enjoyed the exchanges between Frank Lucas and his mother, played by Ruby Dee. “That’s your house, mama.”
As I said at the top, American Gangster is wholly different kind of gangster movie. Denzel Washington’s performance as Frank Lucas is absolutely electrifying with his well-tailored suits and ruthless control of the heroin trade in Harlem. He’s not loud and eccentric with his clothing and that’s exactly how he manages to fly under the radar for so long. The story is even more gripping, because we know the tale is based on a real life person. You have to watch this movie. There are no ifs, ands, or buts about it. You have to watch American Gangster. You won’t regret it.
4.5 Stars Out of 5
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