Gangster SquadMovie Reviews


  • Go Based on 12,462 reviews
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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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  • So-so
    Written January 14, 2013

    The seats were confy

    by wrestlerjay07

    The movie is very slow and I dont think any gangster movie is going to come glose to scarface but.It has its moments and if you lioke the 50's then its good but if you dont then just stay home or rent it.

    • 7 out of 10 found this review helpful.
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  • So-so
    Written January 24, 2013

    LOVERS OF A HIGH MORTALITY COUNT WILL BE SATISFIED WITH THE HUNT AND DEMISE OF MOBSTER MICKEY COHEN.

    by Peneflix

    Vigilante brigade strives to rid Los Angles of its Jewish mobster, ?Mickey Cohen?; a plastic caricature by Sean Penn. It is 1949 and a corps of terrific actors comprise the ?squad?; they had to have had a riotous time making this ?B? movie about lawless LA and cops gone rogue, cauterizing Cohen?s notorious cabal of amoral thugs. If you are in the mood for a ?shoot ?em up?, good versus evil scenario ?Gangster Squad? satisfies the craving. This is the time of year when we are smothered with insufferable fluff; mindless violence (concur with filmmaker Charles Evered about the unnecessary, ubiquitous, ?mushrooming of mayhem?) vampire mania, a plethora of exorcist candidates, taunting, crippling comprehension; escapism at the remedial level...

    TWO & 1/2 STARS!!

    ***For full review please visit peneflix(dot)com!!!

    • 4 out of 4 found this review helpful.
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  • So-so
    Written January 15, 2013

    Inspired by true events?

    by

    Well yes, there is a real Los Angeles on planet Earth, and Mickey Cohen and Police Chief Parker and some other characters and locales are real enough. Beyond that the story liberally departs from the historical record, which I have no problem with. Weak script but very stylish cinematography and loud!

    • 6 out of 8 found this review helpful.
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  • Go
    Written February 9, 2013

    Great acting

    by toowitty

    It's based on Mickey Cohen's gangster activities in L.A. in the 40's and 50's. The opening scene is pretty horrific. Just don't look! Otherwise, it's well-acted and exciting. Some parts are fictionalized for effect.
    The photography was good and set decoration/design was excellent and certainly evoked L.A. in that era.
    Definitely not for kids.

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

    Mr

    by andrea2cortese

    Too much violence.
    If I would have to pick which mob movie was better on the west coast between The Gangster Squad and Chinatown with Jack Nicklas and Fay Danaway, I would pick Chinatown.

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

    Loved it!

    by

    Not a chick flick, but it DOES have Ryan Gosling! Really enjoyed the movie. Sean Penn is amazing. Tons of violence. The period clothes and sets were beautiful. This chick loved it.

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

    Gangster Squad

    by svenard

    Love the actors and the humor...all but Sean Penn. Face acting has never been my favorite. He just phoned in this role which was arrogant cuz he was appearing with some really competent folk. Some funny exchanges to make one laugh. Too many bullets per killing! Gratuitous gang land violence. That being said, my grandchildren and I enjoyed the escape factor.

    • 4 out of 4 found this review helpful.
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    Written January 21, 2013

    Not Generally into Mob Movies

    by

    This isn't normally my thing but my husband wanted to see it. I really enjoyed it even though. I wouldn't necessarily have gone on my pick, but walked out glad we had.

    I thought Sean Penn was great as Mickey and Ryan Gosling was a doll.

    • 4 out of 4 found this review helpful.
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  • So-so
    Written January 23, 2013

    Okay

    by teddybklyn

    The directing was great, acting cinematography, blah, blah, blah. But what a movie comes down to is the story. When you make a film, you are trying to tell a story, and in this case, it was a bad one. I could see what was going to happen. I said it in my mind, and it literally happened (I won't say what, because that would spoil it). So I came out of the theater saying: "meh, it was OKAY." I would see things like Lincoln, Skyfall, Django Unchained, Argo, and (the best movie I have seen in a LONG time) The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey over this. But if you have seen all those movies and you want a bubblegum movie with a lot of action, sure see this. I wasn't too pleased with movie, but thought it was OKAY.

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

    a fun time

    by JShipp6

    Good film, basic plot, if your expecting a Godfather type Mobster film this isn't it. Great performances from the cast, I mean Sean Penn's in it you know what can you expect from him. Their is mainly fiction and not really any truth to the story of the real gangster squad or Mickey Cohen but its a good little action film and was worth my 12 dollars.

    • 5 out of 6 found this review helpful.
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  • Go
    Written February 6, 2013

    Best Ganster movie in a long time.

    by jfesta

    This telling and realistic movie about the Mobs attempt to infiltrate the politics, police and legal aspects of everyday life in Los Angelos is the best I have seen in a long time. If true in its depiction (which is seldom in modern movies) this movie gives a glimps of fresh air and a renewed belief that there were still honest brokers left in America. Even though I hate the current politics of the main actor, his acting was simply brilliant!

    • 4 out of 4 found this review helpful.
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    Written January 28, 2013

    Good but could have ben better

    by sfjames1

    I wish they would have went a litle deeper into ripping the bad guys operation up...It appears like they were very concerned with hurting or injuring innocent people and killed more bad guys at the end of the movie than thru the movie, in the hotel seen...They never explain how the wiretapper got caught so you have to guess..I get the funny feeling that if I investigated the real team, the story will be much hughier than what I saw on screen...

    • 5 out of 6 found this review helpful.
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  • Go
    Written January 29, 2013

    Heavy on action, light on facts

    by jackel_inthebox

    If you're a classic gangster movie fan, this one's for you. Sean Penn was a perfect Mickey Cohen, even though the man depicted in the movie was far from 100% true to real life. If you know yours gangsters, you'll know what I mean. Josh Brolin was masculine as could be and Emma Stone was smoking hot, but I'd really hoped for more from Ryan Gosling. While he did have some cute moments, he came up short yet again. I can hardly wait until he ruins Fifty Shades of Grey for me.

    • 4 out of 4 found this review helpful.
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    Written January 21, 2013

    Worth the $$$

    by HapCrazCool

    Josh Brolin is AMAZING! As usual!!! Sean Penn was a hard ass, but he looked coked out the whole time. I don't know he just didn't look like the Sean I know and love. But he was still good. The story line was good. I'd recommend it.

    • 5 out of 6 found this review helpful.
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Tweets About Gangster Squad

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Join the conversation

AlexSav2 Just watched Gangster Squad, world class

9 days ago.

ImUhBeaner Gangster squad!! Ahh that was a good movie too! I just have a thing for 50s movies

9 days ago.

morganshearer Watched The Notebook now Gangster Squad #RyanGoslingILoveYou

9 days ago.

hollistudTV Tbell and watched Gangster Squad. #goodmovie Not going to log back on to stream. Hopefully will stream some later today - no raid.

9 days ago.

lilman1423 Gangster Squad was pretty good. 7.5/10

9 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'.