American Gangster

Rating: 7/10 (22 January 2011)

From Golden Globe nominated director Sir Ridley Scott, I remember seeing a few adverts for this film, being a simple title and with a four star rating from the critics it certainly looked worth trying. Based on the true story, Harlem, Manhattan crime lord Ellsworth 'Bumpy' Johnson (Clarence Williams III) dies from a heart attack, and his employee Frank Lucas (Golden Globe nominated Denzel Washington) takes over leadership of the gangland. He also establishes himself as the new importer of illegal drugs to the USA, specifically heroin, that he gets direct from the source in Bangkok, South East Asia. This is done successfully by hiding the drugs in the coffins of dead military personnel, and Lucas establishes his product under the name "Blue Magic", selling it at lower prices making him a fast earning millionaire. Richie Roberts (Russell Crowe) in Essex County is the New York police detective investigating the mafia crimes on the streets and in the underworld, and of course he is trying to find the head of the drugs smuggling ring. He eventually comes to the conclusion that it could be Lucas, but the rest of the authorities don't believe that an African American could be guilty of this crime. In the end of course Lucas is indeed caught and sentenced to prison for his drugs smuggling over the years, but the final text reveals he was let out early for cooperation. Also starring Oscar nominated Ruby Dee as Mama Lucas, Chiwetel Ejiofor as Huey Lucas, Cuba Gooding Jr. as Nicky Barnes, Josh Brolin as Detective Trupo, Ted Levine as Lou Toback, Armand Assante as Dominic Cattano, John Ortiz as Javier J. Rivera, John Hawkes as Freddie Spearman, RZA as Moses Jones, Carla Gugino as Laurie Roberts, Common as Turner Lucas, Tip Harris aka T.I. as Stevie Lucas and Joe Morton as Charlie Williams. Washington is really good as the drug dealing criminal, Crowe is also pretty good as the cop trying to find him, the story is simple to follow, it is well written, well directed, and certainly a biographical gangster crime drama worth watching. It was nominated the Oscar for Best Achievement in Art Direction, it was nominated the BAFTA for Best Film, Best Cinematography, Best Editing, Best Music for Marc Streitenfeld and Best Original Screenplay, and it was nominated the Golden Globe for Best Motion Picture - Drama. Denzel Washington was number 28 on The 100 Greatest Movie Stars, and he was number 40 on The World's Greatest Actor. Very good!