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American Gangster
After the death of his employer and mentor, Bumpy Johnson, Frank Lucas becomes one importer of heroin in the Harlem district of Manhattan. It is also the story of a dedicated and honest policeman, Richie Roberts, who heads up a joint narcotics task force.
1945, New York, New York, USA
7 May 1975, Brooklyn, New York, USA
27 July 1955, Berkeley, California, USA
23 May 1968, Brooklyn, New York City, New York, USA
15 October 1975, Washington, District of Columbia, USA
28 January 1967, USA
November 03, 2012
Though it's certainly admirable to aim high, it's like Frank Lucas himself says: "Either you're somebody, or you ain't nobody." Unfortunately for American Gangster, it ends up somewhere between the two.
July 07, 2010
American Gangster is an epic, true crime drama, that although not entirely original in its premise is excellent in its execution.
November 14, 2007
Like much of his oeuvre, Scott's scaled-up movie is bigger than life - and lesser for it. But while never digging deeply or darkly enough to match its own grand vision of itself, slick technique drives the story forward with pace and style.
April 23, 2009
File this one under "American Oscar Wanna-Be."
November 05, 2007
For all its grit, style and atmosphere, Gangster never sweeps you away. It has neither the lurid bravado of De Palma's "Scarface" nor the intimate grasp of the criminal lifestyle you find in Scorsese or Coppola.
February 03, 2008
Scott's not interested in fireworks but small implosions of the soul and ego.
November 02, 2007
Washington's steely grip on his impersonation of Frank Lucas holds the film together.
November 06, 2007
How much truth we get in the movie version is hard to say...nobody much cares if it's gospel, as long as it's riveting. Here, alas, it is not.
July 14, 2011
It's 157 minutes long, but immerses its audience with its twists and intricacies as it plays out and considers the logistics and consequences of crime and police corruption, with a plethora of show-stealing performances from the cast.
February 02, 2009
When American Gangster was announced, with actors Denzel Washington and Russell Crowe and directed by Ridley Scott, it seemed like a can't miss project. It missed.
October 18, 2008
Ridley Scott's gangster flick aims high and mostly measures up.
August 27, 2009
Flattened by Scott's cardboard evocation of New York in the '70s, Zaillian's shallow criticism of corrupting power, and weirdly bloodless performances
