The Business Model of a Gangster

Rating: 8/10 (23 February 2008)

At one point during Ridley Scott's new film, Denzel as the titular gangster has to inform one of his middle-men of the importance of a brand name. The brand name in question is "Blue Magic". Heroin smuggled into New York straight from Thailand in the coffins of dead American soldiers. By cutting out the transporters, Denzel's Frank Lucas can sell this product at half the price of regular street heroin and ensure its purity at the same time. "Blue Magic, that's a brand name. Like Pepsi." This scene shows why Lucas is able to become so successful with the drug trade, it's just business.
It's not right to call this film a "Black Godfather" as some have, it would be more accurate to call it "Gangster CEO". Lucas realizes its better to sell things with a brand name rather than being a celebrity like his competitors. He skips the politics of trying to work with the mafia and goes into business on his own, which suits him. Frank Lucas isn't a politician, he's a business man. If someone owes Lucas money, he's gonna collect, and if they don't pay, they'll face the consequences; it doesn't matter if they're made men.
Lucas does his business and he stays quiet. The cops don't even know who he is or what his connections are until they see him wearing a ridonkulous fur coat to the Ali-Frazier boxing match. When they do notice him, its the beginning of his downfall. Before that, Lucas was the invisible man, he wore suits that were nice, but inconspicuous. Nobody would attack a man they can't see.
On the flip side of the coin, we got Russell Crowe (If your movie's set in the past, you best get Russell's ___). It's not nearly as interesting watching Crowe's Richie Roberts home life as it is watching Denzel's. In fact, the storyline concerning him and his wife is completely extraneous. But the sting operation he sets up with his group of honest cops makes a compelling parallel to the Rise and fall of Denzel. They both stay on the outside of their respective professions. Denzel doesn't deal with the mafia, and Roberts doesn't deal with dirty cops. In fact, Roberts is so clean, he turned in $1 million as evidence, only to become the pariah of the police station.
The film may go over the same rise-and-fall scenario as most gangster flicks, but it does it in a way that is refreshing. Frank Lucas is the "American Gangster" because he does things the American way. He takes advantage of the capitalist nature of Americans, even with illegal substances. If he had taken over Wall Street, he would have been just as successful. Plus, Denzel is the man in this film. Now how can you deny the appeal of that? My man.
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