Denzel Washington | Russell Crowe
American Gangster (2007)
Available on: Netflix
One word review: Stylish!
Disclaimer: No spoilers ahead.
IMDB: 7.8
Did you know?
This is the second collaboration between Denzel Washington and Russell Crowe after Virtuosity (1995).
American Gangster is a crime drama film and it portrays the career of real life drug lord Frank Lucas of 1970's New York. Set as a period drama, the biography is blended with dramatic scenes to make it more interesting.
Russell Crowe plays the honest good cop role and he has picked it up effortlessly from where he left off at L.A. Confidential (1997). The initial sequences where his character is exposed through his partner were beautifully set up and sets the tone for the movie. Josh Brolin (Avengers Thanos) is another popular face who plays a supporting role in the movie. I felt there could have been more depth to his character but his screen time was considerably less compared to the lead actors.
Favorite Quotes:
Success. It’s got enemies. You can be successful and have enemies or you can be unsuccessful and have friends.
Coming to the main protagonist Denzel Washington, if you look at him for the first time, you will definitely realize that there is an enigmatic charm that he carries around. I first saw him in Flight (2012) and was left mind blown with his super cool and intrinsic performance. Playing as Frank Lucas, Denzel has brought the character to life in the most distinguishing way. For me, when you watch a character play out in a movie, and you feel you wanna be that character, walk like him, talk like him, etc. that's great acting. The actor's attitude must instill into you. Denzel never fails in doing that and the role of Frank Lucas by him will surely leave you influenced.
That's a clown suit. That's a costume, with a big sign on it that says "Arrest me". You understand? You're too loud, you're making too much noise. Listen to me, the loudest one in the room is the weakest one in the room.
Writing is the essential element of any movie and it is the highlighting aspect of this film. As I had mentioned earlier, the character of Russell Crowe was well written. The distribution network of drugs and how they are procured were detailed out accurately. There were some questions that were unanswered to me at the end of the movie but on the whole American Gangster is a well suited entertainer for gangster film lovers, standing out fresh from the mafia films The Godfather(1972) and Goodfellas(1990).
This is my home. My country. Frank Lucas don't run from nobody. This is America.