American Gangster (2007)

Featured Audience Ratings

• E.J. B

  
  The great director Ridley Scott has three masterpieces behind his belt: Alien, Blade Runner, and Gladiator. He can now add a fourth to that list: American Gangster. Besides another great performance by Denzel Washington, not to mention the incredible supporting actors he has to work… More
  The great director Ridley Scott has three masterpieces behind his belt: Alien, Blade Runner, and Gladiator. He can now add a fourth to that list: American Gangster. Besides another great performance by Denzel Washington, not to mention the incredible supporting actors he has to work with like Russell Crowe, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Josh Brolin, Arman Assante, and Cuba Gooding Jr., the film is a wholly original gangster picture. Denzel's performance is not to be understated however. His fans will get everything they watch the actor for; the smooth talk, the mannerisms, the bad ass stare, the yelling, and the cool demeanour. But like his best roles, he turns Frank Lucas into a fully realized character, a flawed but wholly sympathetic one. The story focuses on how Frank Lucas was able to make more money than the Mafia through good business decisions. This film could almost be taught in economics classes, except for the fact that Lucas' product is heroine. Image, and an honest living giving back to the community were what helped Lucas get ahead, stay ahead for as long as he did, and never get backstabbed. The film smartly contrasts his life with Richie Roberts (Crowe), who may stand for what's right, but doesn't impact his community the way Lucas does. Lucas isn't Scarface, nor is he Michael Corleone. He went a diferent way, which makes his story just as important as the others. Ridley's production team successfully and accurately re-creates a gritty, realistic view of Harlem in the 1970s. They also don't shy away from showing what Lucas' product is doing to addicts. There's no denying that Frank Lucas does bad things. But given the world he grew up in, he did what he could to survive, and survive he did. Note: I prefer the theatrical version to the unrated cut. I believe that Ridley made the edits for the theatrical cut for a reason and the additions interrupt the pacing and don't add any more depth to the already perfect narrative.

• Scott G

  
  A strong deliverance from Washington and the rest of the main characters, with a clever plot, and just a generally good watch that requires some listening.

• xGary X

  
  American Gangster tells of the rise of 70s Harlem drug baron Denzel Washington and the efforts of crusading detective Russell Crowe to bring him to justice. Once again Ridley Scott proves he is one of the best directors working today, brilliantly bringing the Harlem of the period to… More
  American Gangster tells of the rise of 70s Harlem drug baron Denzel Washington and the efforts of crusading detective Russell Crowe to bring him to justice. Once again Ridley Scott proves he is one of the best directors working today, brilliantly bringing the Harlem of the period to life and essentially telling two tales in tandem in an intelligent and always entertaining way. Denzel is always better in his shadier roles, and this for me has to be one of his best. It does not have the grit and intensity of Scorsese's gangster pieces and the action/violence is sparse. It's more in the vein of something like Infernal affairs or a 70s version of The Wire in its treatment of the story and Scott's pacing is spot on, as the film despite its two and three quarter hour length never drags. The climactic shoot out is brilliantly done, delivered by Scott in a way you know his brother is completely incapable of; his version probably would have been an unwatchably choppy hallucinogenic migraine. It would have been nice to see Crowe and Washington share the screen a little more, but otherwise it delivered on every level. It doesn't challenge the classics, such as The Godfather or Goodfellas, but more than holds its own against other heavyweights such as Donnie Brasco and The Departed.

• Graham J

  
  Though not on par with other gangster classics by Scorsese, Copolla or DePalma, this look at the life of a Harlem drug kingpin is a fascinating watch and a great return from Ridley Scott. Denzel Washington puts in a great performance as well.

• Dan S

  
  Although it doesn't hold up to memory as well as it probably should be given its fairly familiar plot, 'Gangster' is still worth a view thanks to the presence alone of Denzel Washington as an emerging drug kingpin. The Russell Crowe character is heavily cliched and… More
  Although it doesn't hold up to memory as well as it probably should be given its fairly familiar plot, 'Gangster' is still worth a view thanks to the presence alone of Denzel Washington as an emerging drug kingpin. The Russell Crowe character is heavily cliched and could have been better developed, but the hunting down of Washington's dangerous character is still captivating despite the movie's long running time (nearly three hours? Come on...). I loved the film when I first saw it in high school, but now I merely like it. If it was more tightly run and the Crowe character wasn't so obvious than maybe this would have been a memorable masterpiece.

• Brad W

  
  American Gangster is a gernius imaging of the crime lord Frank Lucas and is one of Ridley Scotts best films. A Harlem drug kingpin (Denzel Washington) who smuggles heroin into the country by hiding it in the bodies of U.S. soldiers killed during battle in Vietnam. There was a time… More
  American Gangster is a gernius imaging of the crime lord Frank Lucas and is one of Ridley Scotts best films. A Harlem drug kingpin (Denzel Washington) who smuggles heroin into the country by hiding it in the bodies of U.S. soldiers killed during battle in Vietnam. There was a time when no one noticed reserved driver Frank Lucas (Washington), but when the criminal kingpin he was charged with transporting through the city streets suddenly dies, Lucas seizes the opportunity to build his own criminal empire. In the following months, Lucas solidifies his status as Harlem's most innovative drug dealer by delivering a product that is purer than the competitors' and cheaper, as well. When innovative businessman Lukas attempts to go semi-legit by becoming one of the Manhattan borough's biggest civil supporters, however, street-savvy outcast cop Ritchie Roberts (Russell Crowe) begins to sense a sizable shift in the hierarchy of the drug underworld. But Roberts is one of the few honest detectives operating within a corrupt system, and as he sets out to investigate the case, crooked detective Trupo (Josh Brolin) does everything in his power to compromise the integrity of his idealistic counterpart. Upon clearing all of the usual Mafia-connected suspects, Roberts begins to believe that a previously unknown black power player has come out of the woodwork to dominate the local drug trade. While Roberts and Lucas may be operating on opposite sides of the law, the one thing that both men have in common is a strict code of ethics that separates them from their opportunistic colleagues. Now, as a confrontation between the two men becomes inevitable and the fate of each becomes inexorably tied to the other, it gradually becomes apparent that only one of them will emerge from the conflict victorious. The plot of this film is Oscar worthy, the world that we enter is amazing and twisted, Scott shows us the underbelly of drugs and the life Frank Lucas lived. The acting is incredible, Denzel is so unforgettable and Russell crowe is amazing as well and is also a great character. This movie is one of my favorite mob films, and it is truly a genius film and one of Denzels best.

• Chris W

  
  This is an amazing piece of work, just below par with classic gangster films such as Goodfellas, Casino, Scarface, Carlito's Way, The Godfather Trilogy, and drug films like Blow. The acting, huge ensemble cast, and small details about the drug (heroin) industry are amazing to… More
  This is an amazing piece of work, just below par with classic gangster films such as Goodfellas, Casino, Scarface, Carlito's Way, The Godfather Trilogy, and drug films like Blow. The acting, huge ensemble cast, and small details about the drug (heroin) industry are amazing to watch take place. The film is lengthy, but oh so worth it, This could have been a much shorter film with more violence, which would make it more accessible, but it but that might harm the thing that makes it work the most: character development. I haven't seen this much attention to details concerning characters who are very textured and complex since Heat. It's not as violent as I was anticipating, but I didn't care. Violence or not, this film is still brilliant, and bound to be a classic someday.

• danny d

  
  although this film dims slightly with time, it is still a phenomenal film and one of the better gangster films ever made. it almost went the direction of depalmas scarface, but averted such a tragedy just in time to remain an amazing film.

• Jim H

  
  For much of this film, I thought it was two movies combined, one starring Washington and the other starring Crowe. And even after the film ended, I still see the stories as separate. The film attempts to convince us that Lucas and Roberts form a friendship based upon the mutual… More
  For much of this film, I thought it was two movies combined, one starring Washington and the other starring Crowe. And even after the film ended, I still see the stories as separate. The film attempts to convince us that Lucas and Roberts form a friendship based upon the mutual respect of adversaries, but there simply aren't enough scenes between the two characters to make this believable. I suppose I expected something on the order of the Pacino/DeNiro scene in <i>Heat.</i> This is minor flaw in an otherwise strong film. I can't say that it does much, but the performances, especially by Washington, who is always good, are excellent, and Scott's direction is even and natural. The film doesn't seem to judge its characters, presenting Lucas as a cold-blooded, detached, and unrepentant criminal who loves his mother as a Southern man should and Roberts as a poor father and a cop whose honesty becomes both his badge of honor and his shield against all kinds of valid criticism. Additionally, almost all of the characters in the film use the term "dope" to refer to heroin; I suspect this term, which most often refers to pot, was deployed to detract from the incredible harm the drug causes, though balancing this is an effective montage of drug-addled customers. It is also a sprawling epic of a film, the director's cut lasting close to three hours, and it is a credit that the film held my attention for so long. Overall, this is not <i>Scarface</i> or <i>Get Shorty</i>, glorifying its eponymous hero; rather it's along the lines of <i>Donnie Brasco</i> and <i>Goodfellas</i> presenting gangster life in all its seedy luxury.

• Jennifer D

  
  Seems like a cross between French Connection and the Godfather. Though I don't know about you, but I basically waited 2 hours to watch Denzel and Russell interact. Overall, it wasn't bad. Not my favorite crime drama ever ever, but hey. It was significantly long. Like wow.… More
  Seems like a cross between French Connection and the Godfather. Though I don't know about you, but I basically waited 2 hours to watch Denzel and Russell interact. Overall, it wasn't bad. Not my favorite crime drama ever ever, but hey. It was significantly long. Like wow. And I think they could have extended Denzel and Russell's interaction. I guess I have a thing for watching legendary actors interact.

• Richard C

  
  Grade: B+

• Jeff "

  
  American Gangster is the incredible true story of Frank Lucas, a notorious 1970's African American drug kingpin who amassed a fortune of 260 million dollars. The film is brilliantly directed by Ridley Scott and has a raw and gritty atmosphere throughout the film. Scott does a… More
  American Gangster is the incredible true story of Frank Lucas, a notorious 1970's African American drug kingpin who amassed a fortune of 260 million dollars. The film is brilliantly directed by Ridley Scott and has a raw and gritty atmosphere throughout the film. Scott does a great job at capturing the feel of Harlem in the 1970's. I am a diehard fan of gangster films and I enjoyed every minute of this film. Ridley Scott's stunning picture gives us a close look at Franl Lucas, marvelously played by Denzel Washington. This is one of his finest roles and he dominates the screen with sheer menace.. American Gangster is different type of gangster film as the focus of the story is a black heroin kingpin. I was very surprised at the fact Ridley Scott made this film. Usually he's great to making sword and sandle films and Sci Fi films, but he manages to craft a unique film. Given time, American Gangster will definitely be seen as a classic in the mafia/gangster genre of film. This is a terrific crime film because it breaks away from traditional elements that make up a good gangster flick (Italian families, for example) This focuses on an African American in the 1970's making more money than most white gangsters of that era. American Gangster is a realistic film and it depicts Frank Lucas as an apprentice of gangster Bumpy Johnson to being the most important Heroin dealer in New York. The film also takes a look at the crooked cops involved to facilitate Lucas's Illicit Drug trade. This is a solid film from start to finish that is relentlessly brutal and at times hard to watch. If you're a fan of gangster films than pick this one up. Ridley Scott has manged to craft a terrific, bold & brutal epic. In the years to come it sure will become a classic of the genre. The cast at hand definitely do a great job and the film is a solid piece of cinema. American Gangster is a gripping film that is raw, gritty and intense, but overall unforgettable.

• Jens S

  
  This movie offers a very interesting, realistic and intense look at the rise and fall of a true American Gangster and the cops hunting him. A great cast down to the smallest roles is still outshined by the great performances of Denzel Washington and Russell Crowe. The movie follows… More
  This movie offers a very interesting, realistic and intense look at the rise and fall of a true American Gangster and the cops hunting him. A great cast down to the smallest roles is still outshined by the great performances of Denzel Washington and Russell Crowe. The movie follows their characters in parallel lines, having a close look at their private and business lives, not judging but observing, blurring the lines of black and white. Yes, it is clear who's the untouchable cop and who 's the ruthless gangster with a strong sense of family, but you can care and feel for both characters as you watch them make their decisions. The movie culminates in one of the finest scenes of the year when these two real characters finally meet each other. The ending, unlike in The Departed last year, really satisfies, too. Great stuff.

• Tony G

  
  Underachieves its great ambition.

• Nelson P

  
  One of the best crime movies made within the last decade, and a great leap for Ridley Scott as a director and Crowe and Washington as actors.

• Manu G

  
  Super great film. Great Story, based on a true story too! In 1968, the loyal driver, bouncer and collector Frank Lucas witnesses the death of his boss and mentor Bumpy Johnson and finds that Harlem lost its leadership. Frank decides to import heroin direct from the source in… More
  Super great film. Great Story, based on a true story too! In 1968, the loyal driver, bouncer and collector Frank Lucas witnesses the death of his boss and mentor Bumpy Johnson and finds that Harlem lost its leadership. Frank decides to import heroin direct from the source in Bangkok, establishing a logistic of transportation using the US military airplanes from Vietnam to USA. The quality of his product associated to the trade mark "Blue Magic" and the lower prices bring Frank Lucas to the position of number one distributor of heroin in USA. Meanwhile, in the Essex County, the incorruptible detective Richie Roberts 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.

• KJ P

  
  Some people say this film belongs to the new classic gangster movies! I strongly disagree and I believe this film is highly overrated but still good!

• Al S

  
  A true masterpiece. An epic cinematic crime classic that ranks with The Godfather, Goodfellas and The Departed. A great, blistering, stylish, riveting, adrenaline-pumping and sizzling crime drama. Director, Ridley Scott has crafted some of his finest work as a filmmaker. A magnificent… More
  A true masterpiece. An epic cinematic crime classic that ranks with The Godfather, Goodfellas and The Departed. A great, blistering, stylish, riveting, adrenaline-pumping and sizzling crime drama. Director, Ridley Scott has crafted some of his finest work as a filmmaker. A magnificent and muscular gangster saga. It explodes on the screen. An extremely powerful and breathtaking film. Russell Crowe and Denzel Washington give performances in which movie legends are made of. Washington is brilliant, giving a portrayal that stands with Malcom X and Training day. Crowe is electrifying, giving also a portrayal that stands with Gladiator and A Beautiful Mind. These two mega stars have never been better. Josh Brolin is terrific. Ruby Dee is wonderful. This is one movie you wont forget. It's cool, captivating, mesmerizing, intense, outstanding and unforgettable. It's relentless and utterly satisfying. It's sensational and original. A full-clip of genius. A gripping, dramatic and realistic film. Stunning suspense and heart-pounding action. An explosive and very exciting action-packed ride.

• Emile T

  
  After a second viewing, I'd say this movie comes very close to perfection. I think it does reinvent something in the genre. The first time I saw this, in theatres, it seemed too long, and I would say it is, but when you watch it at home, and you are at power to watch it on… More
  After a second viewing, I'd say this movie comes very close to perfection. I think it does reinvent something in the genre. The first time I saw this, in theatres, it seemed too long, and I would say it is, but when you watch it at home, and you are at power to watch it on two nights, its running time isn't a problem anymore. Also, I didn't get all of the story almost a year ago, when I saw this. Now, I understood every line of its great screenplay and loved every single scene. Russell Crowe was great, but Denzel Washington bore a big part of the movie with his exceptional interpretation of Frank Lucas. He was awesome to watch, really. And, finally, I'm one of those who love Ridley Scott, no matter what he sometimes gives us. Here, he offers a movie that will be remembered, at least by me. A really excellent film.

• Daniel M

  
  Ridley Scott's forte has always been in creating worlds which are simultaneously realistic and fantastic. The places he puts on screen, whether the battlefields of Kingdom of Heaven or the dingy streets of Blade Runner, tap into an audience's sense of the familiar. They… More
  Ridley Scott's forte has always been in creating worlds which are simultaneously realistic and fantastic. The places he puts on screen, whether the battlefields of Kingdom of Heaven or the dingy streets of Blade Runner, tap into an audience's sense of the familiar. They recognise features in it, either from personal experience or popular culture, which lead them to accept it as 'real' or 'true'. But all of these locations have a layer of creative drive -- a 'fantasy', if you like -- interwoven, so that no matter how commonplace the surroundings, you always expect something new and interesting to come out of them. This has allowed Scott to immerse himself in whatever genre he chooses, and produce something which is always interesting, even if nothing else about it works. The thing which distinguishes Blade Runner from other dystopian sci-fi like Soylent Green is that personal touch, that sense that something, somewhere will emerge to alter your perception of the 'real' forever. In Soylent Green, you know that something bad is coming just from looking at the set, and hence the ending is no big surprise. In Blade Runner, every humane twist is a great and welcome surprise, making the film emotionally powerful as well as visually arresting. In the case of American Gangster, Scott has taken the well-worn road of the gangster film and produced something which is intense, arresting and gripping. There have been so many films made about gangsters doing drugs -- The French Connection, Scarface, Goodfellas -- that you might think that nothing original can come out of it. But here's the thing: Scott knows how much these films are revered, hence he doesn't try to directly imitate them simply to put an audience in the picture. It would have been easy to rip off The French Connection for the sequence with the cars under the Jersey Bridge, but he doesn't, taking what we know and twisting it to give us a completely different story. The central performances by Denzel Washington and Russell Crowe are absolutely brilliant. Helped by a razor-sharp script from Steven Zaillian, they achieve a level of intensity and conviction which is rarely matched by anyone else on screen, even Armand Assante in a surprisingly good cameo. Washington's Frank Lucas starts off as calm and as steady as anyone else, but within the first hour he has transformed into a ruthless, cold-blooded businessman. The scene in which he walks out of a diner, shoots someone in broad daylight and then resumes having coffee, is completely chilling. Crowe gives as good as him as the moral force of the film; we root for Richie Roberts from the start, but he never comes across as an annoying goody two-shoes. There's a great scene of him shambling through the park with his estranged wife and child, before pulling out his badge and shouting off at a bunch of street kids. Crowe at his best can do anger and quiet dignity in equal measure, and this ranks alongside his great dualistic turns in both Gladiator and Master and Commander. Both of these performances hint toward the film's central theme of violence simmering below the surface. At the centre of the Lucas character is the idea that he is the least likely person in the world to be a drug lord, at least in terms of appearance. And indeed, in many of his scenes he comes across as the emblematic American family man: providing, loyal, firm but fair, successful and content. But after the incident at the boxing match, Lucas' true colours come to light, and as the various threads of his empire start to unravel he becomes more impulsive and cruel to those who cherish him the most. The film is also about the role of capitalism in organised crime. Films like Goodfellas and The Godfather have the family as the engine room; everything comes and goes through members of the family, or the extended family of trusted associates. Prices are manipulated by threats, not by spreading rumours on the stock market. But while family still features strongly, American Gangster is more about challenging the myth that the market is entirely a force for good. Lucas gets the purest heroin not by leaving horses' heads in people's beds, but by going to the lowest bidder. He handles his suppliers like a salesman rather than a mob enforcer, and his family are treated like employees rather than kinsmen, which is unusual for a film about black culture. The cultural analysis is not as obvious as in Scott's earliest films, but there is a still a lot to be read into this. Quentin Tarantino called gangster films "parodies of the American Dream", and he may well be right. The film is not flawless. Like a lot of Scott's films, the opening 20 minutes feel slow and unmoving. In Alien this was not a problem since the slow pace served as a great contrast for the nail-biting tension that came after. There is enough intensity in the performances to carry the film, but even so it could have been tightened up. The ending also feels loose and inconclusive. In Goodfellas Henry Hill is left on his doorstep, thankful for his safety but still wishing he were a gangster. In this, Lucas leaves prison, looks around at how the world has changed, and then the screen goes black. But for all its little problems -- and they are little -- American Gangster is a very worthy addition to the gangster movie canon, and a great return to form for Scott after A Good Year. Like all his best films, it is beautifully shot, has a great soundtrack, and has many great ideas and themes bubbling beneath the surface. It's easily his most accomplished film since Gladiator, if nothing else because it looks like the work of someone taking their time to be intricate, rather than rushing from film to film with minimum fuss. A flawed but fascinating return to form.

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