Good...But Not Great

Rating: 8/10 (7 March 2009)

American Gangster is, without a doubt, a good movie. I wasn't bored but found a few annoying things about it. I got what I wanted though, two solid performances and a good story.
Richie Roberts (Russel Crowe) is a cop who is going through a divorce and is in danger of losing custody of his son. He is seen as a boy scout to his corrupt colleagues, he turns in millions of dollars in a brief case to his authorities. Meanwhile we get the story of Frank Lucas (Denzel Washington), who rules the Harlem drug trafficking. Soon, Detective Roberts is assigned to bring down Lucas's criminal empire.
I really found the consistent use of nudity annoying. Despite that, the film doesn't glamorize the life of a drug lord, it gives you gritty and sometimes horrific realism. It was good, but like I said it wasn't great. I doubt that crime fans will not be pleased, I most definitely was.
The film also reveals things about drug trade that isn't shown in Scarface, which is seen as a definitive drug lord film. You see how they use there business relationships to make an empire. Lucas uses his relative's small businesses as fronts, just clever. It also shows how the dealer sees themselves, they see themselves as business men who will kill to get money and respect.