Here's the skinny on American Gangster:
It's pretty good. Surely worth the price of admission--which in this case was nothing--but still, I would have paid and been quite satisfied with my purchase.
I was a bit misled by the trailers for this film, as the "square-off" element I anticipated yesterday was not very present. Yes, Russell Crowe is determined to bring down Frank Lucas, but the two don't actually know each other personally. Their characters don't have any actual tension--at least, not until late in the film--because their interactions are so few. When we do find the two of them in a scene together, though, it's pretty impressive.
Crowe, as Det. Richie Roberts, is hell bent on stifling the Frank Lucas empire, but more than anything, his war is against himself. The classic good cop with an almost deplorable at-home life, Roberts struggles to find the balance between professional Jesus and personal Judas.
As Lucas, Denzel's performance is also bursting with juxtaposition. He, though, is the quintessential family man, providing and caring for his loved ones with the fruits of his criminal dealings. He's got the brightest (and most believable) smile I've ever seen on a cold-blooded killer. Kudos to D.
Other shining moments are provided by T.I.,whose few appearances were both welcomed and memorable; the ever-brilliant Chiwetel Ejiofor as Frank's city-UN-slick, younger brother; and the lady herself, Ruby Dee (no superlatives necessary).
RZA--one of my favorite people--is fair as a member of Roberts' task force against Lucas, while Common (another fave) is somewhat disappointing in a role that played out as a tad unnecessary. Maybe with some more lines/screen time this would have been Com's arrival, but unfortunately, I was left wondering whether or not the character needed to speak. Sorry.
At the end of the day, this one's worth your money. It drags in some places and there is definitely room for improvement, but the Denzel/Crowe face-to-face towards the end of the movie is alone worth the ticket price.
Currently Listening: The World Has Made Me The Man of My Dreams by Meshell Ndegeocello
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2 comments:
Hey there Micah, it's Scott. Just wanted to say I very much enjoy reading your posts. Your writing style is smooth, intelligent, and engaging. Plus I always learn something because you inevitably write about things I know next to nothing about (e.g. RZA). Keep it up.
I'm a little bummed to hear that it wasn't a runaway smash of awesomeness. But, I'll still see it regardless. It's got T.I. AND the RZA. Awesome. Ridley Scott is down with the streets.
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