I saw HOODLUM & liked it better.

Rating: 7/10 (4 May 2008)

At the very beginning of American Gangster we meet Bumpy Johnson. In 1997 there was a very good film made about him called HOODLUM. It covers the era before the events in this film occur.It starred Forest Whitaker. In 1997 Mr Whitaker was not that well known,as he is today so the film did not get the attention & the overly high praise that American Gangster has gotten. BOTH films are about Harlem gangsters & the drug culture. To be honest this is not one of my favorite story & plot lines.
Denzel Washington is the star here playing Frank Lucas,who supposedly rose from being a flunky to Bumpy to being a head honcho in the Drrug trade. (not a character I would want to know)
Russel Crowe (with a good Americn accent & a bad bad hair cut) is the government agent that brings him down,then at the end they become friendly.
Doesn't that sound so familiar, or have I seen too many films.
The acting by all is Great & so is the production, except for one other thing,. It is WAY WAY TOO LONG.I saw the extended 176 minute version & not the shorter theatre version (19 minutes added).The running time just under 3 hours seemed like 5.
The production is first rate, the acting is excellent by all. (that is why my rating is as high as it is)..
Ratings *** (out of 4)82 points (out of 100) IMDb 7 (out of 10)