Balek's Movie Review™

In a odd departure from my typical Wednesday DVD Movie Review™, this week brings you an installation on a Saturday. Why you'd ask? Well, because the wife and I tapped my eldest on the shoulder for an evening of babysitting, and went out for a real, honest to goodness date...the ones like we did in those times before we can almost remember, those days before we were married. So dinner and a movie it was, the former being a stop at a nice Mexican restaurant and a delicious Fajita Taco Salad, and then the later being a 9 o'clock showing of the new release American Gangster.


The movie, directed by Ridley Scott (+1 for that) and starring Denzel Washingon (another +1) and Russel Crowe (ok, +0.5 at least), tells the tale of Frank Lucas, an african-american criminal growing up and coming to age in the Vietnam War era. The movie opens with a powerful scene of Lucas and his mentor walking the streets of Harlem, having a discussion of how things are going wrong. Times are changing, chain stores are going in where mom-and-pop stores once rules, and progression is taking the 'family' out of the scene. Unfortunately, the boss of the streets doesn't see much beyond that, as he dies leaving his once driver of over 10 years to figure out where to go with the operations. Frank Lucas, being a visionary, takes that challenge and runs with it to turn himself into the single largest crime figure during that era of American history.

Ridley Scott did an amazing job bringing the city to life for this movie. You can honestly feel the desparation, the destitude, the living-on-a-last-breath feeling that the city had during this time period. You also have characters, both cops and mobsters, that are exquisitely well developed and that you can honestly grow to care for, or in most cases hate with a passion. The story comes in at nearly two and a half hours, but moves along more-or-less with a decent pacing. The pacing wasn't as good as some of the longer movies, but I never really found myself feeling like I was floundering or bored with the story. The sound was what you'd expect - crisp and clean, with sounds of the city coming along in the background where and when you'd expect them. With that said, this isn't a high budget Sci-Fi or War film, so it is what it is....more than enough to be adequate.

All in all, American Gangster can take a seat next to some of the great mob movies of all time - The Godfather, Scarface, you know the ones. Is it that good? Well, no...but close enough to be called a close cousin.

Two thumbs up, worth at least a rental when it comes out, but not something that I'm annoyed I payed for at the theater.

B.