Difference in Opinion

Ridley Scott pieced together another great movie with American Gangster. What else would you expect with Russel Crowe and Denzel Washington as the leads? It seems like dramatic gangster flicks are a dime a dozen now, so it really takes a solid movie to churn it’s way to the top. Ridley Scott has quite the resume with Blade Runner, Gladiator, and Black Hawk Down. It looks like this will be another solid flick that he will be attached to his name.

The movie starts out with a little back story on each of the main characters, shady gangster Frank Lucas (Denzel Washington), and morally strict Detective Richie Roberts (Russel Crowe). We learn of the affect that Lucas’ mentor, Bumpy Johnson, had on his life. His influence shapes Lucas’ lifestyle, mentality and actions throughout the movie. On the other side of the spectrum, Roberts is on a case where he turns in a large quantity of unmarked bills instead of keeping them. This good boy attitude continues to shape his actions throughout the rest of the movie.

Things start to get sticky when Frank Lucas wants to step into the gap made by the death of his mentor. He travels directly to a heroin farm in Southeast Asia and works out a deal to smuggle pure heroin in to the states. Because his product is the purest, and the cheapest, Lucas works his way up the financial ladder rather quickly. At the same time, Richie Roberts is appointed to the head of the newly established New York DEA. While Lucas hunts for more money, more product and the American dream, Roberts hunts for him.

The pacing is great in this film. You never notice any downtime in between crucial parts in the movie. The acting is top-notch by all the actors, big and small parts. I would be surprised if some of the actors didn’t get Oscar nods. American Gangster is definitely worth a watch and a purchase as well when it hits DVD. I would suggest trying to catch it while it is in theaters though, since the experience will be much better.

Final Score: 9 out of 10