Average gangster film

Rating: 5/10 (11 August 2008)

This is very much a run-of-the-mill gangster film.
The story itself has the potential to make a gripping movie, but the acting from the leads is poor, and the directing average at best.
Russell Crowe's good cop in a corrupt force is completely clichéd and his attempt at an American accent is TERRIBLE. You would expect such a high profile actor to be able to make at least a reasonable job of this.
For me, Denzel Washington was the real weak link in the film. He does not slip convincingly into the character of a big time heroin dealer.
He is far too likable. We are meant to believe that he is capable of killing those who cross him in cold blood in front of watching bystanders, but for someone who is so charming throughout the movie it seems unrealistic.
The movie would have been more interesting had it explored some of the parts that were glossed over, such as Lucas's rise from a street henchman to how he came to be at the top of the organisation, and the effect that his powerful heroin had on the streets.
Instead, we get pointless sub-plots such as Crowe's custody battle, which adds nothing to the film except to make it longer than it needs to be.
This is not a "bad" film, but it's forgettable.