Almost a match for "The Godfather"

Rating: 8/10 (12 April 2010)

I enjoyed this film. Having never seen "Training Day", Denzel Washington as a "villain" was a refreshing change for me. Russell Crowe, although personally rather nasty at times in real life, played his part well, too. Actually, the entire cast was well done.
The idea that Frank Lucas could operate under the radar of law enforcement had almost a satirical feel to it. That character was smart and ruthless, leavened only by the fact he looked after his family and made their lives so much better, at least at the start. The first scene gives you an idea on how ruthless he can be. Frank Lucas stays behind-the-scenes until the night of the prizefight where he dresses basically like a pimp.
Crowe's character is the only police man who has clued in to what is going on with Lucas and the photos he takes of Lucas in his finery begins Lucas' downfall.
As in this type of movie, there is the prerequisite violence but not as much as some modern films. The pacing is well done and the juxtaposition between Lucas's successful crime life and Richie's domestic problems plus his treatment as a pariah by his fellow officers is well portrayed.
I did find the ending rather too "feelgood" but apparently that's what happened in real life. The ending stopped me from giving this film a 10.