In my mind there is nothing better than a good old-fashioned mob movie. I love the small look into the mob life as seen through TV and movies. The hierarchy, the codes, and “rules” that surround this society is truly interesting. When I saw the previews for American Gangster, I knew I had to see it. It was a new twist on an old genre, an African American gangster doing things his way, but still along the lines of the original gangsters.
Frank Lucas came into his own when he witnessed the death of his boss and then current ruler of Harlem. I found the conversation in the appliance store interesting, but it would only become apparent at the end of the movie. As we weave through the rise of Frank Lucas and the life of the cop that would bring him down, only to defend him later, it became a parallel of good being not so shiny and evil being all that glitters. The cop, played by Russell Crowe, was honest but had many faults. There is his casting out among cops when he turned in almost a million dollar of unmarked bills, but his ongoing battle for his son that would come to the realization that his life was not the life for a child. His life was plagued with a revolving door of women, but a quest to be the only honest cop in a sea of cops only out for themselves. On the contrast Frank Lucas was a very well dressed gentleman that would have appeared to be more of a Wall Street Broker than drug lord. One can appreciate his business sense, if only it wasn’t supply junkies with their next fix. Lucas would corner the market with his Blue Magic and become more powerful and richer than the mob bosses trying to corner the same market.
I liked Lucas over the cop and who wouldn’t? Sure he murdered people in cold blood, but his calm yet forceful presence shows the power that he possessed. People are drawn to power and charm; Lucas had both. Crowe’s character (which proven by the fact that I have forgotten his name) was just another cop on the street. One can come to the conclusion that good goes unnoticed while evil is noticed and loved by everyone. By the end of the film, I would be impressed with Crowe’s character and would have rathered seen the after story that was only told in words across the screen. Lucas will show us a lesson, also. Evil does fall and to save itself will turn against it’s own kind. It is part of the world they live in and it is a reason it is so brutal. Every man for himself with no love for their fellow criminal.
Both Denzel Washington and Russell Crowe are great in this movie. Washington has the presence and style to play such a charming character and Crowe has the sense of the every man just doing what needs to be done. I have never been a big fan of Crowe’s, but I will say that he impressed me in this film. You almost forget that he is an actor playing a role instead of getting a peek at someone’s life. Washington was a presence on the screen and I could have watched him all day. You knew that he was always watching and calculating his next move on his rise to power.
I highly recommend this movie, even though I felt it dragged in places. The ending is a great payoff and the majority of the beginning is needed to give you the information you need to understand the ending. Pay close attention to the beginning of the movie, because the rant that Lucas’ boss gives before he dies is a precursor to Lucas’ life and downfall.
Leave a Response »
