Frank Lucas, the gangster who means business... literally.

Rating: 10/10 (11 October 2019)

"Every gangster's downfall will be his false sense of invincibility"
I found that quote in a Youtube comment from the clip showing Frank Lucas' arrest and that it belongs to notorious mobster Carmine Galante who ended up shot in his favorite restaurant, gives it such an eerily prophetic dimension it can work as a mantra of the gangster genre.
They all start with a fascination for the gangster-figure and end with the realization that sooner or later, wings get burned."Goodfellas", "Scarface", "Casino" etc. all follow that arc and even "The Godfather" if you consider the sequels, providing the perfect canvas for a captivating character studies. And as Lucas, Denzel Washington, intimidating in all calculated smoothness, encapsulates the 'initial reaction', exuding the kind of macho appeal we secretly long for in our boring and compromising lives like Pacino, De Niro or from the old days Cagney and Robinson.
It's a timeless story rooted in any decade of America's contemporary history, a gangster makes his bones, expands his territory, earning many friends, a few enemies and the dreamgirl. Gangster films are the antithesis of fairy tales for they have a happy beginning and all build up for the downfall that might come from greed, human mistakes, ambition, betrayal, sometimes even principles... there's always a price to pay. Lucas could keep his fortune and quit drug business while he was at the top, he chose to move on, ego was his downfall but he had understandable motives that show that gangsters storylines aren't schematic for the sake of it.
The genre is perhaps the best social commentator to the American dream, the irony that a man had to use capitalistic methods to reign over Harlem and restore order. He might be a killer and a heroin dealer, Lucas is a visionary businessman who learned from the 'best'. While Scorsese's films feature flawed characters, "American Gangster" is closer to "The Godfather" in its depiction of a brilliant man who took the wrong direction: a good manager whose "my man" catchphrase resonates as Brando's offer one can't refuse, so when it's time to get off the cover and pull the trigger, he won't hesitate. One of the most memorable scenes have him kill a rival in broad daylight and it's not much the boldness of the move than the certitude that no one will snitch on him.
Ridley Scott's biography of Frank Lucas' life accomplishes something I didn't think was possible, combining many elements of the gangster genre that, taken alone, would've been enough to make a great film. First mention to the organizational aspect: the death of Bumpy Johnson left Harlem chaotic and comforted the Italian mafia couldn't keep control. Lucas understands the necessity of leadership and in all admirable pragmatism, decides to sell a better product at a lower price, and the Vietnam war offers a perfect cover to smuggle heroin directly from the main source. On its own, his success is a marketing school-case enhanced by a memorable moment where he lectures a big customer (Cuba Gooding Jr.) on the value of brand and merchandising.
Another value that plays a key role in the film is family. Lucas isn't a womanizer, he believes in family ties, gives jobs to his relatives, buys a house for his mother (Ruby Dee), gets married and shares a Happy Thanksgiving dinner with everyone. But ike in "The Godfather", family is a double-edged sword as Lucas owes the most of his troubles to screw-ups from his relatives, including his nephew (Chewitel Ejiofor) and to counterbalance these effects, the crowning moment belongs to little Mama Lucas who prevents Frank from killing a corrupt cop (played by Josh Brolin) because even she knew it was personal and her angst toward her son spoke in subtext: "this has nothing to do with business!" Dee deserved her Oscar nomination for that scene alone.
And I guess Washington (who was perfect) was snubbed because we've seen a lot of that before, "The Departed" was still fresh in memories and other titles keep popping when you watch one scene or another: Lucas asking his nephew to keep a low-profile and not to be too loud fashion-wise channeled De Niro's warning after the Lufthansa heist in "Goodfellas", Lucas' shooting a man on the forehead being his "defining" moment echoed the restaurant scene when Michael shoots Sollozo. Still, the most significant parallel is the climax, set in a church where Lucas is sitting with his wife and mother intercut with shots where cops arrest the family members. The baptism was Michael's rise, the mass isn't much Lucas' downfall but the cops' triumph as the film isn't just about criminals but about the law. The film is both "The Godfather" and "The French Connection".
Though it occupies one tenth of this review, half the film belongs to the investigation lead by Richie Roberts, Russell Crowe as a cop who ostracized himself after refusing to keep a million dollar found in a car. It's only fair for a gangster reminding of Michael Corleone to have a "Serpico" against him. And I loved the way the film patiently waited for their two paths to converge at the conclusion and have them talk about a simple concept: "the right thing". A brilliant man did horrific things and lead a happy life (though briefly), a man acted straight and lived miserable. Lucas was a criminal but a self-made man, Richie served the law but without any reward whatsoever.
Washington and Crowe magnificently embody the contradictions of the American dream, making for a multilayered story of men acting according to their beliefs for right or wrong. It's easy of course to root for Roberts, as for Lucas, I guess all you've got to do is listen carefully to the lyrics of "Across the 110th Street", the song says everything, speaking from Harlem's heart of darkness, from the 'soul' before passing the torch to rap music at the end of the film... when Lucas was history already.