Gangster SquadMovie Reviews

  • Go Based on 12,354 reviews
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  • Go
    Written February 1, 2013

    Gangster squad

    by dkr772003

    Decent film. The movie was supposedly based on real life events and I have no idea how accurate it was. Acting was good, for the most part. It was a bit over the top in many fight scenes and of course the industry made sure certain racial groups were represented in a favorable light.

    • 4 out of 4 found this review helpful.
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  • Oh No!
    Written January 18, 2013

    Bloody lies - my Dad John O'Mara didn't shoot people

    by

    I am the daughter of John O'Mara, the Los Angeles police officer currently portrayed in the Hollywood $75MM movie, Gangster Squad, set in 1949. However, the movie bears absolutely no resemblance to the true story of my Dad and his near obsession with the mobster Mickey Cohen. Paul Lieberman's recently released book tells the story much more accurately. My Dad and his colleagues tracked Cohen through dogged police work, courage, nerve and intelligence. In the movie, my Dad is shown firing away in numerous bloody shootouts, killing and maiming. In real life, my Dad shot his gun once in twenty years. The movie's release gives us an ideal forum to discuss our cultural obsession with gun violence in film. There was a true story, a great story, where the cops outsmarted the bad guys, but the truth was largely ignored by the script in favor of endless gunfire and sadistic murder and gives us clear, hard evidence of the movie industry maximizing violence to garner ticket sales.

    • 4 out of 4 found this review helpful.
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    Written January 14, 2013

    Gangster Squad

    by DMLIPKA

    I attended with my wife and we both found the movie to be enjoyable. The 1940's wass a great time in our history and this was seen in how gansters ruled the cities.

    I would recommend this movie to anyone except kids under 16.

    • 8 out of 12 found this review helpful.
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  • Must Go!
    Written January 13, 2013

    I liked it

    by JerryP7

    After seeing the previews I was very excited when it was released. It met my expectations. I like the time period, the costumes. Loved Emma Stone in the Jessica Rabbit dress. Josh Brolin was the perfect stoic (just as he was in MIB3) and the only person I could think of besides Sean Penn to play psycho gangster would be Joe Pesci (ala Casino) but he's too old. Penn was perfect. A little on the gory side which reminded me of a Lionsgate film. Recommend it.

    • 4 out of 4 found this review helpful.
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  • Must Go!
    Written January 19, 2013

    Exciting, Fun Movie

    by katiee20

    What a great movie! I wasn't expecting much since the critics haven't been too kind, but this was such a great movie. The acting was good, the plot was good, and the action was phenomenal. Sure, it's a little predictable but it's exciting and keeps you on the edge of your seat. The love story is great and I thoroughly enjoyed my experience

    • 4 out of 4 found this review helpful.
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    Written January 12, 2013

    It was a decent entertaining movie

    by

    Not as great as expected but it was good enough to recommend to others. The texture and characters were gritty and tough. Well shot (photography that is) and acted.

    • 4 out of 4 found this review helpful.
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  • Go
    Written February 3, 2013

    Formula? Sure, but a good one.

    by csimmons22

    Everything in this movie has been done before, but rarely so well. While it loses a few originality points, it recovers them in cinematography, soundtrack, and proving again that Sean Penn really CAN act. Twenty minutes in, I had forgotten it was Sean; he BECAME Mickey Cohen, with enough force to convince even his most jaded detractors that he still wields the skills he brought to "Mystic River" ten years ago.
    Josh Brolin acts like his father: well, but not outstandingly. His character had the potential for more depth and dimension, and, unless he was directed to play it simple, he missed the opportunity to tap into a more revealing portrayal.
    Emma Stone is Emma Stone... 'nuff said. I'm sending a bottle of whiskey to the casting director for that choice.
    Nick Nolte plays the part he was born for. I'm glad he's still in the game.
    Ryan Gosling turns in another great performance. I'm keeping my eyes on him. I hope he learned from Sean.
    *Lots of brutal violence.
    7 of 10 stars.

    • 4 out of 4 found this review helpful.
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    Written January 13, 2013

    Entertaining

    by susancharl

    I really enjoyed this movie. The surprise was that many lines were funny. Sean Penn, Josh Brolin, Ryan Gosling, and Emma Stone were all terrific. I went to be entertained, and I was.

    • 18 out of 32 found this review helpful.
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  • So-so
    Written January 12, 2013

    Still born prodigy

    by grrbach

    A promising cast (mightily uplifted by Sean Penn's oscar-worthy performance) and a few moments of enrapturing style can't make up for two, terminal flaws?the most inconsistent A-list script of the past ten years and direction that's competent only when the guns are blazing.

    Is it a waste of time? No. But don't expect the gangster/mob film classic the trailer or the movie critic shills promise.

    So much potential, so much disappointment.

    • 5 out of 6 found this review helpful.
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  • So-so
    Written January 21, 2013

    Entertaining but could be so much more

    by slarson89

    I have been watching films long enough to know what to expect from a film like this. Very entertaining ( also violent) film but the story doesnt quite suck you in and even though all the players do a fine acting job you don't get to spend enough time with any one character to see any development. Overall an entertaining film if you want some great visuals with an easy to follow story but if youre looking for something more you wont find it here.

    • 5 out of 6 found this review helpful.
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    Written January 15, 2013

    AW

    by Ann Wang

    I have very simple taste in movies. It has to be entertaining and Gangster Squad was very entertaining. I enjoyed it very much. Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling makes a great screen couple. The rest of the cast was also solid.

    • 5 out of 6 found this review helpful.
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  • Must Go!
    Written January 15, 2013

    Exciting

    by lyrix

    I really enjoyed the movie. Had some funny moments but also kept me on the edge of my seat. The acting and action was amazing. Very good plot and story line.

    • 6 out of 8 found this review helpful.
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  • Must Go!
    Written January 20, 2013

    Gangster Squad

    by allen8279


    What moved me to see this Gangster Squad is that it was based on a true story. And that it was about the Good Guys going after the Bad Guys.

    It was violent, more violence than I am comfortable with, but the actors and leading actress were outstanding. Great scenes, brilliant, excellent movie.

    • 4 out of 4 found this review helpful.
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  • Go
    Written January 12, 2013

    Awesome!

    by

    In all my years of going to movies I've never once been excited enough to go to an midnight release of a movie but I just had to see Gangster Squad, & I liked it so much that I came out wanting to go see it again in theaters which once again I never do, Sean Penn makes the movie, he's just a bonafied bad *** with his portrayal of Micky Cohen, & the shootouts were well done & fun to watch, out of the "Gangster" films I've seen (Godfather Trilogy, Goodfellas, Scarface, Etc) this has to be #2 only behind Godfather which is my favorite, 4 out of 5 stars!

    • 4 out of 4 found this review helpful.
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  • So-so
    Written January 11, 2013

    Not exactly the best gangster movie

    by wzphoto

    Perhaps it was intended to be a cartooned version of a classic gangster movie but I thought it fell short of what it might have been.

    • 7 out of 10 found this review helpful.
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Tweets About Gangster Squad

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sophia_nguyenn anybody watched Gangster Squad? i wanna know if its good before i waste an hour of my life on it

23 hours ago.

LorenzoG323 Gangster Squad was pretty badass!

23 hours ago.

TheREALMrsLane Just watched Gangster Squad #goodmovie #realgangsta

23 hours ago.

walkertyler11 Was Gangster Squad any good? #help

1 days ago.

dani_trap Gangster Squad was so amazing. One fantastic movie

1 days ago.

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Exclusive Features

Cast Interviews Exclusive Cast Interview Josh Brolin, Ryan Gosling, Emma Stone and the cast of Gangster Squad talks about the old days, the mob and their new movie. Cine Latino: 'Gangster Squad''s Michael Peña on Playing César E. Chávez and Being a Badass Michael Peña talks about his upcoming film role and the pressures of playing César E. Chávez in Diego Luna's biopic 'Chavez'.