Had potential but is missing something

Rating: 6/10 (22 November 2007)

American Gangster had all the appearance of a fantastic film. It could have been 2007's Best Picture and been the best crime drama in years. Denzel Washington and Russell Crowe are two of the most talented actors today and the more minor players in this film are also worth mention (look out for the RZA and Common). Ridley Scott has directed such screen classics as Alien and Blade Runner and there is no reason to think that American Gangster would have been different. So what went wrong? American Gangster has a few problems worth mentioning. First is the pacing, while others may complain about a lack of significant action scenes, the major problem for me was a lack of significant personal moments especially among Frank and the other characters. Too often are we treated to unnecessary shots of crack whores and coke snorting instead of seeing how Frank relates to his family. The plot interrupts interactions between the characters, a prime example is when Frank's nephew (T.I.'s character) telling Frank why he no longer wants to be a major league baseball player. He tells Frank that Frank is his role model and instead of seeing Frank's reaction, Huey Lucas interrupts the scene to keep the plot moving. The second real problem with this film is the acting, specifically Denzel Washington's acting. Frank Lucas was more likable than fearsome, something that was most likely not intentional. The audience may occasionally see him snap but these scenes seem unnatural and interrupt the film's flow. These bursts of violence were often quick and made Frank seem more like a stern parent than a cold-blooded killer.