Doubt it's really history, but as a movie, it's pretty much flawless.

Rating: 10/10 (16 June 2019)

Right off the bat, I'm certain that when Hollywood says, "based on a true story", the kernel of "American Gansgster" might be true, but much or most of the rest is made up out of whole cloth. First off, I doubt that the main criminal character in this film was nearly as charismatic and charming in real life. I'm willing to bet that he was a clever, intelligent, manipulative, psychopath who you wouldn't want to cross in real life. People like this are much more interesting to watch in movies than to deal with in real life. I have tons of doubts about what Russel Crowe's real life "hero" character was like too. But setting reality aside, this is pretty much a flawless movie. It's actually built around a plot with minimal special effects; the sets, cars, clothing, music, and so on are all historically appropriate with a real eye for detail; and it's simply impossible to criticize the cinematography. Many people (kids especially) may find that it's a little bit slow for them, but I often enjoy a film that takes its time and is somewhat ambiguous, both of which this film certainly is. As long as you know what to expect (specifically, a lot less violence and a lot more character development than most modern movies), this is a great film.