Nobody used to notice Frank Lucas (Oscar® winner Washington), the quiet driver to one of the inner city's leading black crime bosses. But when his boss suddenly dies, Frank exploits the opening in the power structure to build his own empire and create his own version of the American Dream. Through ingenuity and a strict business ethic, he comes to rule the inner-city drug trade, flooding the streets with a purer product at a better price. Lucas outplays all of the leading crime syndicates and becomes not only one of the city's mainline corrupters, but part of its circle of legit civic superstars.
Richie Roberts (Oscar® winner Crowe) is an outcast cop close enough to the streets to feel a shift of control in the drug underworld. Roberts believes someone is climbing the rungs above the known Mafia families and starts to suspect that a black power player has come from nowhere to dominate the scene. Both Lucas and Roberts share a rigorous ethical code that sets them apart from their own colleagues, making them lone figures on opposite sides of the law. The destinies of these two men will become intertwined as they approach a confrontation where only one of them can come out on top.
So we now know that Ridley Scott saw The Departed, because he’s making his own version of it, and it’s called American Gangster. Ridley’s been in something of a lull lately. Actually, lull is too polite. He’s been making a big pile of shit. The guy’s last three movies have all been varying stages of awful. If he were Brett Ratner that’d be acceptable but this is Ridley fucking Scott we’re talking about here. Black Hawk Dawn, Gladiator, Thelma and Louise, Blade Runner, Alien Ridley Scott. You know what, I’ll even throw G.I. Jane on the list. It’s a lot better than it gets credit for.
But it’s been a few years since we’ve seen that Ridley and he has to know it. Is ripping off Scorsese really the way to get back to being badass? You know what, maybe it is. Similar to Departed it may be, but American Gangster has Denzel and the trailers look awesome. There’s nothing like a good, cliché gangster movie to clean out your pipes when they’ve been full of crap. American Gangster is going to unclog Ridley’s drain and I can’t wait.
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I Disagree. Kingdom of Heaven, especially the Extended cut, was not shit. If Ridley Scott only made movies with mass appeal all the time, he'd be a very limited filmmaker... Like Michael Bay. Also, how does this film look like The Departed? If anybody makes a Cop versus Gangsters movie from now on is it only going to be compared to The Departed. The Benchmark should be Heat.
Yeah, Josh, I have to disagree about Mr. Scott's most recent films. Normally you and I are on the same page, but the "Kingdom of Heaven" Director's Cut is a masterpiece. Flat-out. One of the best films of the decade. I agree with most that the theatrical cut was a disaster, but that will happen anytime a film-maker is forced to chop nearly an hour of plot out of their story. I'm also a big fan of "Matchstick Men." And come on guys, "Heat" being the standard for cops and criminals movies? It's a great film but are we only looking back as far as the 90's?
Sorry Josh Im with everyone else... Not qall of Ridleys latest movies have been garbage. Hell I have to admit I enjoyed Good Year somewhat... maybe not so much for the completely predictable sotry, but it was shot beautifully and plue, Albert Finney. You cant go wrong Albert.
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July 13th, 2007 at 21:14
So, Russel Crowe will be matching wits with Denzel Washington, the guy who stole the Oscar right out from under him?
Sounds interesting, I'll see it.