It feels good to be a Gangster!

Rating: 10/10 (3 November 2007)

Like many of you I have been disappointed by the movies released so far this year. There have been very few Oscar Contenders and more than that there have been very few movies that will draw people out. I have loved the Game Plan, Across the Universe, Kingdom, Things We Lost in the Fire, Transformers and a few others. But that's a very short list consider about 10 movies come out every single week and it's November.
American Gangser has filled a void that I think many cinema goers were missing. The fact that this movie was based on a true story, a plus. The fact that Denzell and Russell meet again after 11 years when they appeared together in Virtuosity, a plus. Back then Crowe was the bad guy and Washington was the good guy. And if you remember that movie, it wasn't good. The fact that American Gangster is directed by Ridley Scott, a plus.
The movie draws you in from the very beginning. If you were like you me you were already sold by the trailers. But the fact that this was based on a true story, drew me into the story even further.
Washington plays Frank Lucas, a real life American gangster, who takes over organized crime in New York City. His rise to success is simple he uses the formula that any successful corporation uses: "Cut out the middle man" That revelation was given to him by his mentor "Bumpy" who died in a franchise store while talking about how he misses the middle man. Kinda ironic of how Frank Lucas took over.
At the same time you have Crowe who plays Richie Roberts, a cop who is trying to fight corruption in the police force. The movie took an approach of where you follow Frank Lucas and care about him and at the same time you follow Richie Roberts and you care about him.
It's kinda odd because you are rooting for both sides. Richie Roberts is a goodie two shoe cop who does everything the right way. Frank Lucas is a ruthless crime boss who wants to do what he cans to help his family.
The movie is filmed in a gritty and raw New York/New Jersey. The back drop of the Vietnman war and the American soldiers addiction to narcotics really hit home. It was like a juxtaposition our soldiers are fighting for freedom in a place that is enslaving them with drugs. And not only that they were sending that bondage back home.
American Gangster will not be a Scarface or a Godfather, but what makes American Gangster stand alone is that it's just a street story. This movie shows you how easy it is to get caught up on the wrong side and not even realize that you are there.
Crowe and Washington will both probably get Oscar nominations for this film, and I think they expect it with the November release.
Go see this movie. I must say Hollywood is getting it right. First "Kingdom" then "Across the Universe", then "Things we Lost in the Fire" and now "American Gangster." 2007 has a shot of not being the worse movie year ever in history.
American Gangster will develop a cult following and I fear it spawn a whole new generation of American Gangsters.
I give this movie a 10 out of 10. The only thing I wish they would have done differently, but I'm sure this will be on the DVD is to show the real life Roberts and Lucas who were consultants on the film.
"The movie critic who still pays the price of admission" Go see this film!