American GangsterMovie Reviews

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• Must Go!
  Written November 9, 2007

  A must go, read why!

  by xronmcdonx

  Richie Roberts (Russel Crowe) gets one of Frank Lucas's (Denzel Washington) cousins to wear a wire after he witnesses him almost kill his girlfriend. Roberts is able to figure out when Lucas's next shipment is coming into the US. They find that Lucas is smuggling the heroin into the country by hiding it in the false bottoms of dead soldiers's coffins.
  
  Frank Lucas is arrested but makes a deal with Roberts in order to shave time off of his sentence. He gives Roberts enough information to put away two-thirds of the crooked cops that were in the special drug task force.
  
  At the very end of the movie it is 1991, and Lucas is released from prison. His wife goes back to Puerto Rico.

  • 112 out of 122 found this review helpful.
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• Must Go!
  Written November 2, 2007

  American Gangster assassinates all doubts

  by DoItAgain

  I was not sure how this movie would pan out. I am a mafia/gangster movie fan but I did not want to see a story of sex, murder and mayhem with no moral to the story.
  
  I was blown away.
  
  Denzel delivers an impeccable performance. The cast included veterans and new comers. I enjoyed the battle between good and evil, black and white, right and wrong. I think that the way in which Denzel used his seething eyes, and cold, pursed lips to portray such deep-seated pain, anger and frustration goes to show that great acting is not in big gestures and physical gyrations but it can be quiet, dark and strong.
  
  I was disappointed in T.I.'s performance but enjoyed watching Common on the big screen. It was also great to see Ruby Dee as the mother but wish she had a more dominant role. She was the object of his devotion but only once did she show her strength. Begging me to question where Frank got his from. Poverty in America gave birth to the American Gangster.
  
  A must see.

  • 26 out of 30 found this review helpful.
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  Written November 9, 2007

  American Gangster

  by

  This film is excellent. Ridley Scott has assembled an excellent ensemble to tell the story of Frank Lucas, a Harlem drug lord of the 1970s, and Richie Roberts, the New Jersey prosecutor who brought him down.
  Scott treads a fine line in trying not to glorify Lucas's business or his lifestyle while at the same time presenting Lucas as a many-faceted character.
  Ruby Dee as his mother and Cuba Gooding Jr. as a competing drug lord turn in fine perfromances also.
  Only drawback that at 2 1/2 hours plus, the fiilm is a bit long. Bring plenty of popcorn!

  • 19 out of 21 found this review helpful.
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• Must Go!
  Written November 15, 2007

  American Gangster

  by kel904

  I loved this film, it was long..but never did it loose my attention. I have a hard time watching Denzel Washington be a "bag guy", but he was outstanding. Russell Crowe hasn't been this good since 'A Beautiful Mind'. Definatley go and see it in the theatres..you will not be sorry!

  • 18 out of 24 found this review helpful.
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  Written November 5, 2007

  AMERICAN GANGSTER

  by door64pumpkin

  Great performances by all lead actors. Denzel Washington hits the mark with his stylish portrayal of the black mobster Frank Lous. Although the movie was long in spots I would highly recommend seeing it.

  • 12 out of 14 found this review helpful.
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• Must Go!
  Written November 3, 2007

  ONE OF THE BEST IN QUITE AWHILE

  by drhch

  Normally I end up walking out of many of the movies I attend - but not this one. It kept me rapt and riveted for 2 and 1/2 hrs. It's the little things that I look for in a movie like great acting, superb directing, relevant scriptwriting, and good cinematography, to keep my attention. Denzel and Crowe (not to exclude the entire supporting cast) carry the film by the force of their own personality. This movie shows how it is possible to have a country with more black men in prison than in college. There are no outlets for any kind of entrepreneurship in the ghettos of America.

  • 11 out of 14 found this review helpful.
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• Must Go!
  Written December 6, 2007

  A Cleverly Presented Story

  by rakhanreturns

  Unlike many other gangster films where the notion is to glorify (Goodfellas) or condemn (The Untouchables), this movie strays away from the stereotypical presentations of good and bad; in fact both Washington's and Crowe's characters appear just like any other people, with the qualities commonly found desirable and despicable. In doing so not only does this more resemble a entertaining biopic than a glitzy fiction, but it also makes the end of the movie far more enjoyable when the story is all tied up neatly and basically lives up to the promotional images interspersed through theaters (even if not in the literal sense). The progression of the movie is steady, relying less on outright violence and more on evoking the dangerous feeling of violence and when the movie ends, you will feel yourself drawing in a very large breath!
  
  Great movie - this will definitely go into my DVD library.

  • 8 out of 9 found this review helpful.
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• Must Go!
  Written November 3, 2007

  Definitely NOT for the popcorn-soda drinking-cell phone using-take your 5yr old, type of movie goers.

  by Killeen_TX_ Mr. Brooks

  The Story: Frank Lucas, born poor, lived with overt racism and crime from his neighborhood and police. Taught by a ?local? drug king pin in his youth, learned the drug trade, learned organizational skills.
  Ritchie Roberts, a detective, works hard at being honest among his brethren of the badge who were thieves, dope users, dope sellers, and mob workers. Ritchie?s life became a mess after he turned in over $900,000,000 of Frank?s untraceable drug money.
  The Vietnam War and the drug trade during our 10+ years there is a story all to its self. No one was spared, not the Soldier in the field, the Commanders in the rear, nor the Democratic Senators back in the US. When President Nixon stopped the War, he stopped the unrelenting bloodletting of the American soldier dying not just from bullets and bombs, but from drugs and its money, the American people from buying 100% pure heroin, low cost, and a very devastating high impact on the American family for generations yet to come.
  

  • 11 out of 15 found this review helpful.
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  Written January 8, 2009

  Powerful

  by karensaucedo

  Well acted and a powerful indication of what we're up against in this country with the drug culture....where the commody is sold with unique marketing ideas and pure ruthlessness....

  • 19 out of 31 found this review helpful.
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• Must Go!
  Written November 2, 2007

  Denzel has out done himself again....

  by LAKERSFAN

  This is awesome movie. Denzel has out done himself again. I was so into his character, I thought he was Frank Lucas. Russell Crowe and Denzel Washington work great together. I hope to see then again in another movie!
  
  I did not know the movie was based on a truth story until half through the movie. The movie is so real!

  • 5 out of 5 found this review helpful.
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  Written December 21, 2007

  Gangsta 4 Sure

  by Wu-Tang_Warrior

  This was a good movie. It had a few holes though. But overall, a go see.

  • 9 out of 13 found this review helpful.
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• Must Go!
  Written November 2, 2007

  Awesome direction of an interesting story

  by becmckee

  I've always been a Denzell fan, and I'm fast becoming a Russell Crowe follower. These two guys do an incredible job in this wonderfully directed movie. Both men, although on opposite sides of the law, share common enemies and a common intensity to do what they believe is "right." Add in the chaotic setting of Vietnam-era NYC, powerful drug lords, and corrupt law enforcement, and you've got an engrossing 2.5 hours. See it AT LEAST once!

  • 6 out of 7 found this review helpful.
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• Must Go!
  Written November 7, 2007

  OUTSTANDING!!!!!!!!!!!

  by JDNWF

  Go and see the movie!! Denzel is amazingly "brutal" in this adaptation His Character of The "Superfly"! I am not gonna give out the movie here, but every 4-10 minutes is a showmanship!!! Denzel should be Nominated for best Actor!
  
  I never once seen a movie all year with the "audacity" and "Interplay" this score makes! The feelings....the anger...the violence is so well crafted, it is "nvincibly" The Best Movie I have seen all year!
  
  OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
  
  RJ

  • 7 out of 9 found this review helpful.
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  Written November 3, 2007

  It's a must see for fans of mob flicks.

  by jasonchucklowe

  I was definitely pleased with American Gangster. It had a distinct flavor from your traditional run of the mill Italian crime family movie, but it retained many characteristics that make those movies enjoyable.

  Denzel is a bonafide bad*** like in Training Day, but the character Frank Lucas is a little more refined. But don't get it twisted, he's still cold as ice. Russell Crowe brings a solid performance as usual. But if good acting isn't your thing, there's plenty of hustling, violence, betrayal, naked women, etc to satisfy your hunger for vice.

  • 6 out of 7 found this review helpful.
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• Must Go!
  Written November 4, 2007

  I already knew it would be this good.

  by supertrooper81

  With Denzel Washington and Russell Crowe, It would have been difficult to dissapoint. This movie was great, and an automatic classic film. Go see it.

  • 4 out of 4 found this review helpful.
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