Review: American Gangster Is As Interesting As It Is Long
- Jul 16, 2018
- 2 min read
A three hour gangster epic filled with a stellar cast, a modern classic to rival the likes of Goodfellas and Casino.
Frank Lucas (Denzel Washington) is Harlem’s number one heroin trafficker, bringing the drugs from the Golden Triangle, hidden below the coffins of US soldiers. He’s as savage as he is charismatic, openly killing his enemies while acting all but untouchable. But his dealings with the mafia, and public figure, soon bring the attention of the law, and one Richie Roberts (Russell Crowe), a straight cop with more than his fair share of difficulties. What happens when an immovable object meets an unstoppable force? Chaos.
American Gangster really is a great film, but it’s far from perfect. The whole thing clocks in at just under three hours despite not really getting started until the first third is over. And even then it’s slow going. Then there’s the nature of the film’s ‘true story’ in which the portrayal of the characters is almost entirely fictional, with subplots retroactively inserted into history. But they say good things take time for a reason.
Aside from those somewhat minor issues, the rest of the movie is pretty good. Washington and Crowe are superb, as is the script they’re working with. The lengthy runtime builds the characters to levels most films can’t dream of approaching, and as each minute passes the level of tangibility increases. The investigation, and the way it’s outlined is enthralling, as are the regular comparison scenes, showing the differing lives of Roberts and Lucas, one fuelled by drug money and the other by honest work.
It is the development of Frank Lucas however, that hurts the film the most. History tells us he is the villain, a cold, sadistic killer seeking to make money off the misfortune of others. And while there’s certainly more than a little of that, Washington is far too likeable to pull it off, nor is he written that way. American Gangster often feels at odds with itself, with Lucas seeming like a heavily flawed hero than an out and out villain. It’s not a major issue, but it ensures that the film lacks some of the impact it could have had.
American Gangster is a flawed film, with issues that run throughout its length. However, despite these shortcomings, it remains an engaging drama with plenty of twists and turns. Ridley Scott’s direction is solid, the acting is great and, if you can outlast this monster, you’ll find yourself enthralled from beginning to end.
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