masterful director + masterful actors = masterful film

Rating: 9/10 (12 November 2007)

Once again director Ridley Scott makes a genre film that may very well define that genre for years to come. Based on the real life exploits of Harlem Heroin Kingpin Frank Lucas, and the cop who brought his empire down, this powerful film does an excellent job of recreating the 70s. Russel Crowe delivers a fine performance as cop Richie Roberts, but this is Denzel's film all the way. His prescence on screen carries a weight of calculating, but doomed power. Frank Lucas is one of the most memorable characters I've seen. In a film with nudity, violence, and drug use it all too easily could have become exploitative, but surprisingly these elements are merely necessary parts of the environment in which the characters live. This one's all about the characters. A near perfect Rise and Fall film and contender for several Oscars.