Unoriginal but still gripping

Rating: Null/10 (6 October 2011)

Ridley Scott's 'American Gangster' does exactly what it says on the tin: it's the tale of the rise and inevitable fall of a New York crime lord. Based on a true story, it's original part is the fact that its villain was a suave African American who out-manoeuvred the mafia; the film is also the story of the rare honest cop who brought him to justice. There are some very familiar elements here: in spite of the different racial background, one could argue that 'Goodfellas' is one inspiration for this move, while the use of 'Across 110th Street' on the soundtrack is depressingly predictable (even though I like the song!). I also found the start of this movie a little confusing and uninvolving. But Scott is an experienced hand when it comes to mainstream but classy entertainment, and while the film's later part offers relatively few surprises, its unarguably gripping, and makes you want to know more about the real life of its protagonist.