American Gangster

Plot synopsis:
The film opens with Bumpy Johnson (Clarence Williams III) and Frank Lucas (Denzel Washington) pouring gas on a man and then lighting him on fire. As the man screams in pain, Frank shoots him. Bumpy runs Harlem in 1968 and says to Frank that big business in taking over and there is no more room for the little guy. He has a heart attack and dies. We see other mobsters showing up to this funeral.Meanwhile Richie Roberts (Russell Crowe) is a New Jersey detective who is taking classes to become a lawyer and hates public speaking. He and his partner find a million dollars in cash and they argue about turning it in, but Richie turns it in anyway. Because Richie won't keep any of the money for himself or let his fellow officers keep it.Frank is unhappy with the way the mob is being run and it seems he always has to pay another mobster named Tango off -- Tango is an old associate of Bumpy who wants control of Bumpy's old territory. It is also hard to find good drugs. Frank sees on T.V. that drugs are very cheap in Vietnam and so he buys a passport and goes to visit his cousin who owns a night club in Vietnam.Richie's marriage is failing because his wife says he doesn't spend enough time with their son. After they divorce, his wife says she and her son are moving to Vegas.Frank makes a deal with his cousin to bring heroin back to the U.S. by smuggling it in coffins of dead soldiers returning from Vietnam. He goes to Nam to talk to his future provider directly. Since there is no middle man, Frank can sell heroin cheaper than anyone else in New York; it is also pure heroin nicknamed "Blue Magic."Richie gets a phone call in the middle of the night from his partner, Javier, who is flipping out because he killed a guy in his apartment, claiming the man opened fire on him. They bandage the dead guy's neck to make it look like he isn't dead. Richie tells his partner that he needs help because he is hooked on drugs, which is why he killed the guy in the first place. His partner gets mad and jumps out of the ambulance. His partner says that it was Richie's fault to begin with, because he takes drugs to forget that everybody at the police station sneers at him.Frank at this point is doing very well. He owns several nightclubs and moves his brothers and mother from North Carolina to New York. He buys his mom a very nice house, a mansion with a huge garden and gives her a vanity for her bedroom that he'd had made from his own memories as a child in North Carolina.We see Richie trying to fight for custody but it turns out that his chances aren't that good because even though he's an honest cop he hangs out with bad people (e.g. his son's godfather) and likes to sleep with hookers. He even has sex with his lawyer.Frank gets his brothers to help him sell his drugs and gives them good money for doing their job. He yells at one of them for dressing too nice because he feels that if you dress too nice you draw attention to yourself. It is also at this point that he meets Eva (Lymari Nadal), a Puerto Rican Beauty Queen, and falls head over heels for her.Richie's partner overdoses on drugs which promotes Richie to start a Narcotics Unit and go after the big guys, not any small time dealers. They aren't too successful at first so Richie decides to start on the streets. He discovers Blue Magic and tries to figure out who could sell such powerful stuff so cheaply. He and his partner follow a large sum of money they'd given to a dealer and take the tunnel to New York to track it down. While trying to retrieve the money he runs into detective Trupo (Josh Brolin). Trupo doesn't like him much but still returns the money and tells Richie not to come back to New York again because this isn't his jurisdiction.One night Frank and his girlfriend go to a boxing match between Muhammad Ali and Joe Louis. He sits right up front and has better seats than some of the world's biggest entertainers. Frank also wears an expensive chinchilla fur coat and hat Eva had bought for him, and he has the opportunity to shakes hands with Joe Louis. Richie sees this and gets the license plate number from the limo Frank was riding in. Richie is not the only one who notices this: Trupo stops Frank's car crammed with drugs and takes them away, and tells him that he wants his share of the money he's making, 10,000 dollars each month. When he arrives home, Frank throws the expensive coat which has put him under the spotlight into the fireplace to burn.Richie discovers that the man he saw was Frank Lucas and wants to bring him down. The only problem is Richie has no evidence that Frank is a drug dealer.Frank gets married to Eva and runs into detective Trupo, who wants ten thousand dollars a month to keep his mouth shut. Frank also deals with local competition mobster Nicky Barnes (Cuba Gooding Jr.) who is selling heroin under the name of Blue Magic, but Nicky has been cutting the supply and selling it himself while still using Frank's brand name. Frank and his wife almost get shot by an unknown. We never find out who it is, but we are lead to think that it was Nicky.One night Richie sees one of Frank's men almost kill his girlfriend. Instead of putting the guy in prison they have him wear a wire. This is where Richie learns how Frank gets heroin back into the U.S.Things don't look too good for Frank now. Since the war is over he can't get his drugs back into the U.S. Richie searches a U.S. plane but finds no drugs. He also teams up with Trupo who is mad at Frank for blowing up his car. Trupo searches Frank's house. Richie gets into an argument with some U.S. General because Richie is making it look like the U.S. military is smuggling drugs. Richie's men find drugs in coffins located at a warehouse and invade. There is a huge shoot out and they arrest Frank while he is at church.Richie and Frank finally meet and Frank says he doesn't give a fuck what happens to him. However, Richie offers him a deal: if he turns in all his outshore accounts and he gives in all the corrupt cops' names, he will have a more lenient sentence.Frank turns in other drug dealers and crooked cops and gets his sentence reduced because he is being so helpful to police. Richie also gives up custody of his kid and lets his wife take him to Vegas. Frank is released from prison in the 1990s.

Tags: boring, cruelty, murder, violence, flashback, historical, sadist

Review:
There is action, but this isn't an "action movie".Both Denzel Washington and Russell Crowe act convincingly and give depth to their characters.The film leaves you wanting to know more about about happened to the lead characters.
If there's a god, Ridley will finally pick up his directing Oscar this year, he deserves it for this and his wide career.American Gangster is probably one of the best cop-based films I've seen, and up there with gangster ones.
It does one of the best jobs of examining the rise and fall of a crime or drug boss right from the beginning, and dives right into on the other side what it means to be a cop and to strive for something, as well as just telling an awesome and magnificently directed gangster story.One of the year's very finest films..
Even more than the Departed, one sees as the film goes on an environment of paradox: Frank Lucas was a low-life, a killer, a ruthless thug, and at the same time found time to take his mother to church every Sunday and gave out turkeys to folks in the neighborhood while providing them enough dope to die off in the process.In fact, Scarface has got nothing on Frank Lucas when it comes to moral complexity: here's a man who did rise up out of poverty, learned the stakes of gang life as a driver for the Harlem boss for fifteen years, and then after he died cut out the middle-man as an importer of the freshest product of heroin right out of Vietnam.
The story is more captivating than i expected i must say, following Frank Lucas(Denzel Washington) - the afro-American drug lord who raised above all, even the Italian mafia - and Richie Roberts(Russel Crowe), the honest cop in a city full of corruption, sort of Frank Serpico but with less guts.
His performances are always incredible, he's a great actor, the greatest afro-American actor of all time i dare to say, it's simply a pleasure to watch him in any role.Russel Crowe delivers a good performance, he's one of the actors that never disappoint in my opinion and i think there's a great chemistry between them (Washington and Crowe) even though few scenes bring them face to face.
Richie Roberts is in danger for being one of the few cops that actually do their jobs and refuse to take bribe so i think there's a big resemblance between Richie Roberts and Frank Serpico (Al Pacino 1973).Cuba Gooding Jr. could have gotten a bigger part, or more scenes because he's a very talented actor and he proved himself many times that he's more than capable of delivering excellent performances.
Now approaching my later forties finds me longing to research it further after seeing this movie.I get the feeling Ridley Scott was amazed a person such as Frank Lucas was actually able to do what he did and live to tell about it.
Even Denzel's and Russel's portrayals of the two central characters are not quite as dark as the usual more stereotypical gangster/cop persona...Still there is a sense of doom and danger ever present as the viewer knows neither law enforcement, government, or mafia will let this man's drug empire go on.To sum it up I believe this is an excellent telling of a true crime story.
Both play fascinating guys, Washington, a big gangster ("Frank Lucas") and Crowe, an honest cop ("Richie Roberts") This movie reminded me a lot of the '83 "Scarface" film in which Tony Montana (Al Pacino) rises from the bottom up to be a big drug lord, only to have things crumble big-time.
Director Ridley Scott and photographer Harris Savides also give us a slick- looking film, very pretty spots and stylishly-directed.The story wasn't quite as good as the people who photographed it and acted in it.
Know in advance there is not a ton of action in this tough crime movie and don't listen to all the hype that this is "the best film of the year." Just expect a decent movie with good acting and instead of a lot of blood and guts, and you should enjoy it.
It's a terrific crime film that accomplishes damn near everything it set out to do, and with an amazing cast of performers along with a stellar lead performance and riveting direction from director Ridley Scott (in top form here), it's one of the essential American crime movies of the past decade, drawing influence upon genre classics - such as Superfly, Goodfellas, and Black Caeser, while effortlessly carving its own identity.
American Gangster is a fantastic movie with a really well developed storyline and a very talented cast.Denzel Washington and Russel Crowe both matched their characters perfectly,which I was surprised with because they both didn't seem like characters they were use to playing,it also was a very different movie for Ridley Scott,and he did a very impressive job with it.The character development in this movie is practically perfect,you mostly follow Russel Crowe and Denzel Washington's characters,and I didn't feel like they left out a lot of information and really took their time letting use get to know these characters.I would highly recommend American Gangster to all fans of gangster crime films.Set during the seventies,Richie Roberts (Russel Crowe) will stop at nothing to bring down the massive drug business of the dangerous and highly wanted Frank Lucas (Denzel Washington)..
The pieces are all there.One of "American Gangster"'s biggest strengths is that there is a rich cast of characters, but the viewer is never lost, because the focus is primarily on Denzel Washington's Frank Lucas, and Russell Crowe's Richie Roberts.
American Gangster may be the most boring, unoriginal, flaccid film that Ridley Scott has yet to make.Coming from the man who created Alien, Gladiator, Black Hawk Down, and Blade Runner, it boggles my mind as to why this film was not infused whatsoever with his signature style, pacing, and panache.This film tries so hard to be a sweeping epic crime saga, but in the end, cannot hold a candle to any Martin Scorsese work, for instance.American Gangster is dull.
Considering how Ridley Scott has taken the visuals of most his films to the limits, its a major disappointment that he decided to make the aesthetics of this film to be one dimensional.The generic title of this film should have been a red-flag that American Gangster was going to be a flat, cliché-d, overlong flaccid crime "epic", with no interesting visuals, a boring pointless story, and characters devoid of any interest..
Meanwhile, in the Essex County, the incorruptible detective Richie Roberts (Russell Crowe) that is studying for the Bar Examination is invited to join and head a Federal Investigation Force of Narcotics, seeking the leaders of the dealers in North America."American Gangster" is a gangster movie based on the story of the powerful drug dealer Frank Lucas in times of Vietnam War, showing the absolute corruption in the police and the saga of an obstinate honest detective.
The direction of Ridley Scott gives an adequate pace to the plot, supported by a magnificent cast leaded by Denzel Washington and Russell Crowe.
Meanwhile clean, but deeply unpopular cop Richie Roberts is allowed to put together a small unit to look into the source of the new wave of drugs.I do like my crime dramas and it seemed obvious to me that I would enjoy American Gangster given the calibre of people involved in it and, watching it last night, I must say that I did find it a satisfying and enjoyable film.
Denzel is brilliant as drug lord Frank Lucas and Crowe plays Richie Roberts, the one honest cop in a city full of corruption, perfectly.
There were too many insignificant stories going on...the plot was weak, there was an extreme over saturation of actor/entertainers that no one cared about (ie: Common, and TI and the horrible actress that played Denzel's wife- my God her performance made Mariah Carey's in the movie Glitter seem Oscar worthy).There were also too many camera panning debacles, hair, makeup and wardrobe was horrible- the scenery at times didn't match the period in time in which the story was being told (hence the 1 train coming out of the subway -then a panning over to 8th avenue and 135th street)Come on guys- New Yorkers, notice everything about our city-just like I noticed that they shot the Williamsburg Bridge in a scene that was supposed to represent New Jersey.
Overall a great cast with a lot of promise.That said I bet you have seen this movie in a different form about 20 times before, no risk, nothing new and not worth the accolades.With all of these fine actors to work on your high budget project i would think you would like your work to be more memorable, I find nothing in this movie that will stick in my mind even the next week after i see it, not a line or a scene seems to fresh in any way, shape or form.An overall regurgitation of previous gangster/cop with a heart of gold flicks that have put out over and over again.Again, with the strong cast and budget to work with this was by all means a movie with potential.
Frank Lucas (Washington), a black man from Harlem involved in organized crime imports pure Herion from Vietnam and makes a killing selling on the streets of New York City.
The whole thing rests on Crowe and Washington, though, and both are like Olympian titans of crime and conflict, sweeping up everyone around them in a whirlwind of explosive violence, shifting alliances and the booming arrival of capitalism giving the American people in every walk of life a defibrillator jolt of economic change, laying the foundation for the world we live in today, one brick, one bullet, one business deal at a time.
Denzel has proved once more why he is the man to choose when giving big roles, and his portraying of Frank Lucas makes every next person in day life calling himself "Gangster" absurd and childish, while Russell as addition of dedicating himself to provide justice is 0% cliché and pure genius.
In this three hour movie Denzel Washington portrays an American drug dealer who rises into prominence during the late sixties and early seventies, what's unique about this character is the fact that he was a gangster of African American descent, something that was extremely rare back in those days, or was it?
Based on a true story this film manages to impress viewers with good dialog and good acting especially from Denzel Washington and Russell Crowe.
Ridley Scott does gives his best shot in converting an ordinary mafia story in to a great movie with an excellent plot...theirs no drag nor any BS...this movie is an example of how real life stories should be presented without any unnecessary over stylish scenarios...ridley Scott delivers the story of mafia king frank Lucas both his rise and fall in a convincing yet moving manner...this ones a different one from other gangster movies and the way its presented is truly entertaining.even though the climax is a bit predictable Ridley keeps bit suspense around the corners and and keeeps it interesting enough..
the performances by the cast Denzel,Crowe,Brolin are class..especially by Denzel who gives a commanding performance as frank Lucas who is bit soft hearted yet cold blooded crooked gangster who will charge forward without hesitation..My verdict is that this movie is an entertaining crime thriller with great performances by its leads,just don't get your hopes too high or you will be disappointed....
American GANGSTER feels like an epic, a fully rounded, completely engrossing true story of one man's rise to the top in the drug trade.Denzel Washington has long since proved his acting chops and it's no surprise that he's on top form here as Frank Lucas, an extremely ruthless henchman who decides to go into business on his own.
Scott is on top form as director, this film is a beauty to watch, and the various montage scenes are particularly well handled.Playing opposite Washington is Scott regular Russell Crowe as a scruffy but dedicated cop determined to bring down his man.
But he really comes alive when he goes to the other side of the aisle.Russell Crowe is also very good in this movie as the detective who then also serves as the prosecutor is the one responsible for bringing down Washington's character of Frank Lucas who was one of the most powerful cocaine smugglers/king pins in US history.
American Gangster is a good but overlong action crime drama with solid performances by Denzel Washington and Russell Crowe as the two leads.
Director Ridley Scott is admirable in making this film based on a true story about Frank Lucas a heroine drug kingpin from Manhattan and Richie Roberts a dedicated detective determined to bring him down.
Overall if you can get past the long running time first this film based on a true story is worth watching at least once mainly because of the exceptional performances by Denzel Washington and Russell Crowe..
As such, American Gangster remains an engrossing and powerful piece of cinema but considering the movie magic that could have resulted, the sturdy film feels almost like a disappointment, or at the very least a somewhat misplaced opportunity.As laudable a package as American Gangster is, the inescapable sense of it offering little of new to the crime genre and in many cases unabashedly borrowing from past efforts (one scene in particular is purloined directly from The Godfather) stifles one's appreciation of its overall quality.
Director Ridley Scott (Gladiator, Alien, Blade Runner) pits Denzel Washington against Russell Crowe in this gritty gangster movie.
The strong leading performances from Denzel Washington and Russell Crowe lift the film above typical gangster fare, but are not quite enough to secure it a place among classics such as "The Godfather" or "Goodfellas." The movie tells the true story of Frank Lucas, the man who gained notoriety in the 1970s for smuggling cocaine into the U.S. during the Vietnam War. Washington effortlessly embodies Lucas's persona, making the transformation from two-bit thug to unofficial King of Harlem all the more fascinating to watch on-screen.Director Ridley Scott knows his way around violent films, having collaborated with Crowe before in "Gladiator." However, Scott decides to ease up on the aggression this time around, allowing his more-than-capable stars to draw the audience in with their natural abilities.
When you look back at Crowe and Denzel's career, I wouldn't come close to mentioning this movie as one of their finest pieces of work.Not to try to compare apples to oranges, but the story-telling, the acting, and the tension in Michael Clayton is far superior to this film.
It was a tad boring I do not think that Crowe was type cast properly it could of been Clive Owen he would of been a better match for Washington there was more chemistry between them, in Spike Lees last movie that he made with them, Inside Man. It was not intense enough,and the characters were confusing at first, till the end.Story line was OK however it could of been done in a more dramatic way and should of been produced by Spike Lee because he gets those ghetto pictures done best.
Directed by Ridley Scott and starring Russell Crowe and Denzel Washington, this was a very pretty but weak film with an ensemble team of the most overrated players in Hollywood..
Ridley Scott delivers something that has the feel of a student film, the acting is mediocre except for Denzel, Josh Brolin and Russel did a decent job oh and Mama Lucas was also believable at times.
The film American Gangster seems to agree with this take on the story and portray Lucas as a man larger than life, who you want to like, despite his criminal activity.
American Gangster is a fine film on the screen, but on the page it looks to be lacking in bravery or any sort of invention, but it's nice to see Ridley Scott taking on yet another genre and at the very least making it a notch above many other directors best works in the epic crime caper pantheon.
Excellent movie on all counts, a crime epic telling the early 1970's rise to power of Harlem drug kingpin Frank Lucas (Denzel Washington) alongside detective Ritchie Roberts (Russell Crowe), the N.Y cop trying to nail him.
Through ingenuity and a strict business ethic, he comes to rule the inner- city drug trade, flooding the streets with a purer product at a better price.They always comes a time in movies were I mostly get sucked in by the character's or story, and American Gangster does both right, because this is a flawless movie with spellbinding acting and brilliant directing.Denzel Washington and Russell Crowe both were absolutely outstanding in this movie.
They both great actors who got talent all over them every time his one the screen.The director of this movie "Ridley Scott", which now his new films have been mostly okay or straight up boring and bad which sucks saying that because I know he can directed good movies just look at Gladiator, Blade Runner and Alien.
American Gangster stars Denzel Washington as a crime lord Frank Lucas, and Russell Crowe as honest cop Richie Roberts.
American Gangster is the rags to riches story of former drug king pen during the 70's Frank Lucas (Denzel Washington).
Parallel with the story of Frank Lucas we also follow the story of Richie Roberts (Russell Crowe), who seems to be only honest policeman.Ridley Scott directed this movie and I have to say that everything is made very good but I have a feeling that original version had 4 hours (just took one number) and that he had to cut a lot of scenes.