Conventional yet compelling crime drama

Rating: 7/10 (15 August 2008)

Certain films appear almost tailor made for success right from the moment of conception, and American Gangster proves a perfect example. Detailing the thrilling true story of a Harlem drug lord, helmed by an enormously renowned director and giving two of the finest stars in the industry the chance to generate murderous chemistry and flex their dramatic muscles, it seemed near impossible that the film could not be a runaway smash hit. And indeed it would seem this was the attitude of those involved with the production of the film, as while the film in question is hardly a failure, the impression is given of all concerned being content to coast by on the film's respective successful components instead of really pushing the envelope to extract every ounce of the film's cinematic potential. As such, American Gangster remains an engrossing and powerful piece of cinema but considering the movie magic that could have resulted, the sturdy film feels almost like a disappointment, or at the very least a somewhat misplaced opportunity.
As laudable a package as American Gangster is, the inescapable sense of it offering little of new to the crime genre and in many cases unabashedly borrowing from past efforts (one scene in particular is purloined directly from The Godfather) stifles one's appreciation of its overall quality. Had the film been released twenty or so years ago, it would doubtlessly have been praised for its storyline and thematic innovations, but after countless entries into the genre of late, characteristics such as repeatedly drawing explicit parallels and contrasts between the cop and criminal squaring off against each other and police corruption making it difficult for the one honest member to function hardly come across as revelatory. While it is clear that all parties involved have done more than their fair share of research into the life and legacy of infamous 1970s Harlem drug lord Frank Lucas, the telling of Lucas' tale falls prey to overly familiar crime film conventions so frequently that there is little to differentiate the film from countless other explorations of the rise and fall of successful drug lords apart from the nationality of the title character, proudly flaunted "true story" tag or not.
However, quality is quality, and in the hands of such an esteemed filmmaker as Ridley Scott it proves a difficult trait to avoid indeed, as Scott anchors a firm directorial grasp throughout. After a slow start, detailing Lucas' work ethic and value system, Scott's film really takes off, with the veteran director extracting the maximum possible amount of tension, cinematic power and emotional clout from the compelling story, convention aside. Scott's depiction of 1970s Harlem indeed looks and feels the part, painting a vivid and memorable picture of the highs and lows of financial offerings, albeit one that does feel like an immaculate construction without the level of grit or authenticity other filmmakers such as Scorsese have pumped from the much filmed city. However, with some quality cinematography and editing and a suitably seventies musical score the film remains an overall staunchly constructed package, despite the feeling of it being very much a package and less of a flowing story.
As title character Frank Lucas, Denzel Washington is truly the film's main centerpoint of quality, his quiet charisma and nobility creating a character who audiences can empathise with while simultaneously being repelled by without missing a beat. Rather than struggling with the differentiation, Washington inhabits the character so fully that such contradictions appear second nature, fully engrained in such an able-bodied performance. Russell Crowe is also a strong presence as Richie Roberts, the struggling, scruffy policeman striving to take Lucas down, but despite Crowe's trademark rugged charisma his performance still appears bland by his usual standards, coasting by on a simplistically written "struggling, divorced but honest cop" archetype. Ably backing the two powerhouse leads, Chiwetel Ejoifor wonderfully essays Lucas' nervy yet enthusiastically likable brother and second in command, and Josh Brolin gives a gleefully repulsive performance as a seedy, corrupt policeman. Ruby Dee shines in her few scenes, a dignified yet formidable performance as Lucas' weathered mother, and Lymari Nadal instils a quiet serenity into Lucas' beauty queen wife, preventing the character from simply becoming an undignified moll.
While American Gangster boasts impressive exteriors, on the inside it proves somewhat of a hollow effort, offering little new to its genre and seemingly lacking in genuine spark underneath the awards baiting outside. However, the quality on display cannot be ignored, and the film remains an impressively crafted, powerfully acted and undeniably compelling piece of work - if only there wasn't an ever persistent sense of missed potential throughout, an even greater film lingering frustratingly out of reach.
-7.5/10