American Gangster

UK Release Date. 16 November 2007
Certification. 18
Running Time. 2 hours 37 mins
Director. Ridley Scott
Cast. Armand Assante, Josh Brolin, Russell Crowe, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Lymari Nadal, Denzel Washington.
Rating. 72%

Review.

Based on real-life events, American Gangster is loosely based on the rise and almost inevitable fall of the infamous 1970s New York drug lord, Frank Lucas (played by Denzel Washington), and Richie Roberts (played by Russell Crowe), the New Jersey police officer who aches to bring him down. The film's plot takes the form of a simple braid, with both protagonists' individual narratives becoming more and more tightly interwoven as the storyline advances.

Looming large like a colossus, Denzel Washington dominates the screen as the unassuming drug lord who is acutely aware that the flashier he is, the more likely he is to be discovered. Washington delivers a more refined performance than his acclaimed portrayal of Alonzo Harris in Training Day, a role for which he was awarded an Academy Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role in 2002. Director Ridley Scott deliberately positions Frank Lucas as a figure who seduces rather than repels, and despite affording the combustible Russell Crowe an equal amount of screen time, Frank Lucas is the flame that draws us in.

There are immediate similarities with genre heavyweights such as The Godfather, Serpico, Scarface, Heat and The Departed, particularly when Richie’s net tightens around Frank. The climax also allows Denzel Washington and Russell Crowe to finally occupy the screen together. As with Robert De Niro and Al Pacino in Heat, it all comes down to a few pointed words and knowing glances. 

American Gangster is a seductive package, crammed full of all the on-screen and off-screen talent that a large Hollywood Studio (such as Universal Pictures) can assemble, but the film doesn't quite result in the masterpiece it so wants to be. Nonetheless, Scott has fashioned a compelling and stylish crime drama with bite, featuring vintage washed-out cinematography from Director of Photography, Harris Savides and a complementary soundtrack filled with old soul and remixed funk. My man.