American Gangster

American Gangster DVD

British director Ridley Scott may not seem a logical choice for this truly American crime drama but the filmmaker does an excellent job. The film is based on a true story and set in 1968 Harlem where Frank Lucas Denzel Washington is a driver for Bumpy Johnson one of the top figures in the city's criminal world. When Bumpy dies Lucas swoops in taking over his predecessor's empire and expanding it over the next few years with his sale of a particularly potent brand of heroin. Meanwhile New Jersey cop Richie Roberts Russell Crowe begins to investigate the New York drug world and discovers that there's a new power in town. Thanks to screenwriter Steve Zallian as well as Washington and Crowe AMERICAN GANGSTER creates a convincing portrait of two men who are neither entirely good nor entirely bad. Washington plays Lucas as a man who buys his mother a palatial home but doesn't hesitate to beat his brother's head against a window. Crowe's Roberts may turn in a million-dollar find but he cheats on his wife. Sadly they only meet onscreen toward the end of the film but the minimal interaction between the two Oscar winners is fascinating. Even though the focus is on Lucas and Roberts AMERICAN GANGSTER is filled with a wealth of strong characters played by talented actors. It seems everyone with a SAG card turns up for the film including Chiwetel Ejiofor Josh Brolin Ted Levine John Hawkes Ruben Santiago-Hudson Carla Gugino Ruby Dee Joe Morton and rappers T.I. and RZA. It's an epic film with a run time of over two and a half hours but it's time well spent. Fans of classic crime films such as THE GODFATHER SERPICO and CARLITO'S WAY will certainly be pleased by this addition to the genre.

American Gangster (Unrated/Rated) (Anamorphic Widescreen)

Academy Award(R) winners Denzel Washington and Russell Crowe team with director Ridley Scott ("Gladiator") for an epic story as powerful as it is true. Armed with ruthless, street-wise tactics and a strict sense of honor, crime boss Frank Lucas (Washington) rules Harlem's chaotic drug underworld. When outcast cop Richie Roberts (Crowe) sets out to bring down Lucas's multi-million dollar empire, it plunges both men into a legendary confrontation. "American Gangster" is "a brutal and brilliant film" (Pete Hammond, Maxim). English SDH, Spanish and French Subtitles. Includes Theatrical and Unrated Versions of Feature Film on one disc.