American Gangster (2007)
American Gangster (2007) 6/10
This movie is too long. Some judicious editing would definately help the pacing. Showcasing the true story of the rise and fall of an American mobster played by Denzel Washington, American Gangster is a sleek and well produced film. Both Denzel Washington and Russell Crowe give solid performances and the ensemble cast flesh out the story well. The film is solid, but not remarkable, and there is nothing here that distinguishes it from the average gangster flick. Certainly, the production values are high, the cast is top-notch and the script has an epic feel to it. But if you’ve seen one gangster flick, you’ve seen them all and there is little in American Gangster than puts it above similar films like The Departed, Goodfellas, Casino or The Godfather. Its a film that could have been great, but is instead just good.
