American Gangster

Rating R Genre drama Starring Denzel Washington, Russell Crowe, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Cuba Gooding, Jr., Josh Brolin, Armand Assante, RZA, John Ortiz Directed by Ridley Scott Publisher Universal Pictures External Links Official American Gangster Website

Ridley Scott's latest film, American Gangster, attempts to tell two sides of one crime story ala Michael Mann's superb Heat. Unfortunately, this dramatization of an actual true story fails to match both the energy and drama inherent in that 1995 classic. Scott and screenwriter Steven Zaillian's decision to give equal voice to the title gangster, Frank Lucas (played with a fierce calm by Denzel Washington) and the cop pursuing him, Richie Roberts (a smoldering, disheveled Russell Crowe) ends up doing a disservice to both characters, the film and especially the audience.

Starting off as a driver/bodyguard/pupil for Harlem kingpin Bumpy Johnson (portrayed by Clarence Williams III, captivating in an all too short performance), Lucas soon decides to take control for himself by cutting out the middle man in the heroin trade and cutting a deal direct with a General in Thailand. The heroin gets sent by military planes to the states and soon Lucas' "brand name" "Blue Magic" is hitting the streets like a wildfire.

Roberts, a clean cop, but a shitty husband and father, is assigned a special unit to track the big drug dealers in Essex Count in New Jersey. After a chance run-in with Lucas at an Ali-Frazier match where the usually "no flash" gangster dons a wildly attractive fur coat bought by his wife (Eva, a Miss Puerto Rico, played cluelessly by Lymari Nadal), Roberts zeroes in on Lucas and his organization (comprised mostly of family-brothers, nephews and cousins).

Along the way it becomes clear that both Roberts and Lucas take great pride in keeping order and following rules. Each man does business in a manner that others find laughable (Roberts is declared a "boy scout" for turning in nearly $1 million dollars; while Lucas' desire to keep costs low and to cut out the Italian mob is scoffed at by Armand Assante's mafioso character) and which oftentimes finds them in dangerous places they don't see coming.

As for the film's look and feel, Scott's got the tone of American Gangster perfect. It feels authentic in every way, from photography, to set design, to music, to attitude. Where the film is lacking, however, is in caring about what happens on screen. Neither Crowe's nor Washington's characters ever feel fully formed, despite the equal screen time and the obvious care and vitality that each actor brings to their respective role. And the tension hardly ever boils over with the action non-existent.

Flashes of brilliance and energy are wholly represented by the actors. Whether it be the two leads, Josh Brolin as a rogue, demented copy, Cuba Gooding Jr. as one of Lucas' resellers, Idris Elba as the opinioned heir apparent to Bumpy Johnson, Ted Levine as the haggard Lieutenant, rappers T.I., Common and RZA in key supporting roles, or the incredible Ruby Dee as the Lucas matriarch, the film lives and dies on the talents of the actors on screen. Without them, American Gangster would be nothing more than just another cops 'n robbers flick destined for the rental bin. With them, it could have been so very much more.