Movie Review: American Gangster

Another gangster flick built in the mold of The Godfather and Goodfellas, American Gangster is based on a true story of one man's triumph over all odds and setting up the perfect life for him and his family. Sounds like the story of a hero right, but it is quite the opposite.

Oscar winners Russell Crowe and Director Ridley Scott (Gladiator) reunite to give us yet another potential Oscar winning movie. Both rebound well from last year's bomb, A Good Year. The two team up with Oscar winner Denzel Washington, who returns to the dark side of crime as Frank Lucas, the heroin trader who dominated the streets of Harlem in the 1960s and 1970s. Washington gives another Oscar winning performance not seen from him since Training Day, where he also played a dirty character. Lucas imports heroin from southeast Asia and sells a much purer grade of heroin for less money eliminating the competition not only in the business but also in life. Russell Crowe plays Richie Roberts, the incorruptible cop who is brought in by the FBI to bring down Lucas. Not the typical gangster-shoot 'em up flick like Scarface, Scott takes his time developing his characters and setting a stage in the drug ridden streets of Harlem. The film is driven by strong performances from Crowe and Washington, giving it the potential to receive some Oscars come March.

The only bad thing about this film was the abundance of phony 1970s mustaches that were warming the upper lips of many of the actors of this film. We are also privileged to receive a surprise appearance from Cuba Gooding Jr., trying to resurrect his career after many flops including Daddy Day Camp. American Gangster stands on its own separate from past gangster films as a great example of a gangster epic and an entertaining crime drama.