AMERICAN GANGSTER (2007)

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Movies like Goodfellas and Casino are well known films about the criminal underworld, but they are not branded as great movies because of the criminal activities shown throughout the film, but for the development of it characters during the course of the movie, how they rise and fall within the world of organized crime. American Gangster is another such film and is an equal, if not successor, to the previous 'gangster' films.

The story is primarily about underworld figure Frank Lucas [Denzel Washington], from his small time beginnings as humble driver and companion to Ellsworth 'Bumpy' Johnson - a reputable but worn-out crime boss, to his rise as the head crime figure in Harlem and then to his inevitable demise as an aged man in the early 90's.

Spanning nearly eight years, the story of American Gangster is a richly detailed and colourful fim, full of hard-nosed characters, crooked cops, glamourous women and thrilling detective work. Denzel Washington puts in a subtle and confident peformance which is both believable and undeniably authentic. His attitude to his work in organized crime and personal life is unrelenting and full throttle, and through his success he becomes virtually unmatched amongst his competitors of the Harlem underworld.

On the flip side Detective Richie Roberts [Russell Crowe] is a police detective who besides his police work, struggles to maintain a family and personal life that seems to quickly spiral out of his control, but when he is is selected to head up the New York Organized Crime Task Force, he is also a driven man and the only man who investigates the activities of Frank Lucas beyond a superficial level.

While there is excellent detective work shown in comprehensive scenes throughout the film, it is the final hour of the movie that is exhilirating and lifts it above your typical monotonous gangster film and places it amongst the pantheon of great gangster movies.

Ridley Scott's unique direction and superb cinematography, gives the movie a gritty and realistic feel to it, very much in the same way he created the worlds in his previous movies - Gladiator and Kingdom of Heaven.

The only let down in the movie is the multiple storylines of different and somewhat irrelevant characters, which can bog down the movie and be more of a distraction than interest. The impact of the drug on the street, although enlightening and well shot, is also distracting and gives a sense of too many topics trying to be covered in the one movie. After all the movie is titled American Gangster not American Junkie.

Despite these minor setbacks the movie holds up incredibly well and is thoroughly detailed, informative and consistent. Acting by both Denzel and Russell is superb and although Lucas and Roberts are in many ways polar opposites, they are men of similiar principle and stature and this shows, especially in the last 30 mins, of the film.

This is possibly the best gangster film to come along in a long time, and although certain pieces of the film may distract, it will most certainly NOT dissapoint.

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