Spoilers: "Big D" the Wannabe

Rating: 2/10 (14 December 2008)

The sad thing about this movie is that it won so many accolades in a time of such sick political correctness that saying "We were better at being gangsters than you" is seen in a positive light and transparently ripping off other directors gets you an Academy Award and other nominations. Big "D" (Denzel) does a great Tony Soprano imitation in a bad rip-off of the Sopranos. Although based on a true story the movie is clearly a knock-off of "the Sopranos" and of the Godfather. (For example, the culminating moment of the film where it all "comes down" happens intermixed with the family piously in church, a la the culminating point of The Godfather.
But as I say, the worst is that this is held up as the best to which Black youth can aspire. As one (white) character says, incredulously, among epithets, (paraphrased) "You're saying Blacks could be better mobsters than the Italians and that's impossible." As if we're supposed to say "Damned straight they can! Whoopee!" How ridiculous and how sad that this is held up as some sort of goal to be met or surpassed. And then, the "good guy" works hard to get the "bad guy" off easy. How grand.
The American, and especially, the Black, culture deserves better than this. Film deserves better than this. Politically correct though it may be to promote it and whatever fantasies Denzel had and to award this travesty, don't waste your money, your time or the aspirations of your children in seeing this trash.