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American Gangster
2007
Academy Award® winners Denzel Washington and Russell Crowe team with director Ridley Scott (Gladiator) in this powerful, epic story. Armed with ruthless, streetwise tactics and a strict sense of honour, crime boss Frank Lucas (Washington) rules Harlem’s chaotic drug underworld. When outcast cop Richie Roberts (Crowe) sets .. Read more
| Starring | Denzel Washington, Russell Crowe, Josh Brolin, Carla Gugino |
|---|---|
| Director | Ridley Scott |
| Run time | 151 mins |
| Genres | Drama |
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Critics' reviews
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Frank Lucas (Denzel Washington) is welcoming his brothers, cousins and nephews to their new life in Harlem with a celebratory lunch. He's brought them here from rural Carolina to guarantee a read more »
- LOVEFiLM
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Most helpful member's review
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186 out of 188 people found this review helpful
[Highly rated reviewer]
Ridley back on form
After one of the most explosive opening scenes you're ever likely to see for a long time,this slow burner gets into stride and takes you with it. This story of the rise and fall of black 70's Harlem druglord Frank Lucas is loosely based on fact.Denzil Washington stars as Lucas and gives his best performance since his potrayal of a low-life 'tec in Training Day for which he won an Oscar. Lucas is a conservatively dressed small businessman on the surface,but lurking beneath this facade is a ruthless heroin wholesaler who undercuts all competition with deadly
uncut smack straight from the poppy fields in war ravaged Vietnam, He has local politicians,the army, and cops in his pocket,and with their help sets about wiping out his rivals.
The subplot concerns honest cop Russell Crowe who is given the task of putting a squad together in order to clean up the Ciy's drug problem.
The film looks brilliant. Scott and his team have pulled out all the stops in portraying seventies New York in all it's corrupt, faded glory.The cast
are all excellant and the script never lets them down for a single second. Though violent at times,the film is never gratuitous as it blurs the line
between corrupted and corruptor. All in all a tour de force from Scott,
and the best gangster film for an age. Don't miss it. -
Most recent members' review
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5 out of 5 people found this review helpful
[Highly rated reviewer]
It all comes together splendidly
Bordering on being epic in length, the beginning of this film is a little lost and confused, but it all comes together splendidly, especially the final 30 minutes. You simply can't help liking Frank, as Denzel Washington was the best cast choice. Reservations about Russell Crowe's part - I just couldn't help thinking that every time he appeared it was like watching someone trying hard to immitate Mel Gibson. Nevertheless, the film does deliver in every respect. Never mind late 60's/early 70's America (which is filmed with magnificent attention to detail), you just have to be amazed at how well they recreated the same era in Vietnam - that must have taken some serious effort. No gratuitous violence here either, just sufficient to let you know all the characters are terrifyingly real. Well worth viewing, particularly when you realise this is based on true events.
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- DirtyHarry from HARROGATE
- Posted 16 Mar 2008 20:08
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News and features
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American Gangster
- 15 Nov 2007
Frank Lucas (Denzel Washington) is welcoming his brothers, cousins and nephews to their new life in Harlem with a celebratory lunch. He's brought them here from rural Carolina to guarantee a loyal crew now that he's all set up to become the number one drug dealer north of 110th Street. Then he spots one dude, a loudmouth dealer by the name of Tango, who might have a problem with that walking down the street. Cool as ice cream, Frank empties out the sugar bowl and walks out of the café. Then he Read more
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