Overrated but Anchored by an Astonishing Performance by Denzel Washington

Rating: 7/10 (23 November 2007)

Frank Lucas: See, ya are what ya are in this world. That's either one of two things: Either you're somebody, or you ain't nobody.
Expectations were high for multi-talented filmmaker Ridley Scott's latest feature film exploring the life of powerful African-American drug trafficker Frank Lucas (Academy Award Winner Denzel Washington) and his eventual capture by a down-on-his-luck Jewish cop Richie Roberts (Academy Award Winner Russell Crowe). I expected it to be a Best Picture contender for sure, but after having viewed it I realized I was sorely mistaken. I guess disappointed is the correct term I'd use for my feelings after having seen 'American Gangster'. Don't get me wrong, 'American Gangster' is a very good film, it's just not a great one. I guess the film's problem lies in how unoriginal it is. 'Gangster' just doesn't seem like an honest and genuine movie, it seems to borrow from a lot of other similar films and relies a lot upon gimmicks and catchy snippets of dialogue to con the audience into thinking it's the next Godfather. 'American Gangster' is anything but the next Godfather. It's very good, with some extraordinary performances, beautifully filmed sequences and some significantly powerful scenes, but it's nothing we haven't already seen before time and time again.
Denzel Washington steals the film with a charming yet terrifying portrayal of a man pushed to the edge. Russell Crowe is solid but underused as Richie Roberts. 'Gangster' also sports some outstanding supporting performances. Josh Brolin is brilliantly creepy as a crooked cop, the marvelous Chitwel Ejofor is excellent in a against-type role for him as Washington's f__ck-up brother, and flamboyant Broadway actor Roger Bart (The Producers, Hostel Part II) is very much out of his element as an angry, foul-mouthed and racist FBI agent.
Ridley Scott's direction is spot-on as always, especially during an astonishingly well-shot sequence where Washington and his goons get arrested. The screenplay is another story. While taut, engrossing but kind of contrived for the most part, the ending is perhaps the sappiest I've seen from ANY movie all year. God! It made me want to puke crap! I apologize for being so graphic and raunchy, but I felt that was the best way to describe how the film's conclusion made me feel.
Despite it's flaws, when all is said and done, 'American Gangster' is a long but fast-paced, contrived yet entertaining, well-acted, well-directed and adequately written crime/drama that is well worth your time. Grade: B