Laurence Fishburne, left, as Bumpy Johnson and Andy Garcia as Lucky Luciano in the new gangster flick, Hoodlum. Not least of which is the cast. In the supporting cast, Tim Roth plays psychotic Dutch Schultz, Andy Garcia plays slick Lucky Luciano, Cicely Tyson plays sophisticated Stephanie St. Clair and Vanessa Williams is the church lady turned gangster moll Francine Hughes. Roth, however, understands Hoodlum's comic book tone the best. Snapping off profanities and horrible racial slurs that should offend everyone, the loosey-goosey Roth chews up scenery with a voracious appetite.
Hoodlum is supposed to be based on real life.
Despite an education and fragments of idealism, he turns into a ruthless dictator and murderer who finally must seek forgiveness, insight and a symbolic baptism in the hands of God. Which goes to the root of the problem with the film's wild inconsistency.