(2007) 4 Perry Seibert The difference between early Ridley Scott, like The Duellists and Alien and late-period Ridley Scott, like Black Rain and Hannibal, is the difference between "stylish" and "slick." In the former, the look of a film -- the photography, the art direction, the costuming -- is as much the subject of the film as whatever the story happens to be. In the latter, all the emphasis on surface things only underscores the fact that there is nothing going on at the heart of the films. American Gangster is a welcome return to the "stylish" Ridley Scott. Unlike Matchstick Men or Black Hawk Down, American Gangster feels like an impersonal work for the director, and in this case that is a very good thing. Scott allows his remarkably gifted collaborators -- cinematographer Harris Savides, editor Pietro Scalia, and screenwriter Steven Zaillian -- to do what they do best and simply uses his own skills to keep everything moving along in a solid, professional way. Though they are kept apart for the vast majority of the film's 160-minute running time, Denzel Washington and Russell Crowe carry their respective sections of the flick with movie-star ease. As larger-than-life criminal mastermind Frank Lucas, Washington gets to utilize his formidable charm while only once falling into the overacting that afflicts him on occasion when playing outright bad guys. As the ethically pure cop out to bring Frank down, Crowe offers his nearly patented brand of brooding physicality. There is nothing new about these characters, or in the film as a whole, but the solidly structured story draws parallels between the two men -- playing up the old "bad guy isn't so bad" and the "good guy isn't so good" themes that might seem incredibly tired in the hands of lesser actors and filmmakers. An end-of-film decision by Frank softens the film a great deal; this is, after all, Hollywood product, and it would be unacceptable to not like both the leads, but seeing as nothing that has come before indicates anyone was aiming for art, this twist can be forgiven. American Gangster is nothing more or less than product, sure to satisfy those who need a genre fix.

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American Gangster (2007)

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American Gangster

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Violence
Nudity
Not For Children
Profanity
Sexual Situations
Drug Content

genres

Crime

sub-genres

category

Feature

directed by

Ridley Scott

countries

USA

release date

November 2, 2007 (USA)

run time

157 min.

produced by

Imagine Entertainment, Relativity Media, Scott Free

released by

Universal Pictures

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	Title/Studio	Release Date
	American Gangster [Extended] [Rated/Unrated] [2 Discs] [With Tech Support for Dummies Trial] [Blu-r Universal Studios More	June 28, 2011

	American Gangster [Unrated Extended/Rated Versions] Universal Studios More	September 15, 2009

	American Gangster [Unrated Extended/Rated Versions] [2 Discs] Universal Studios More	June 21, 2009

	American Gangster [Unrated Extended/Rated Versions] [Blu-ray] Universal Studios More	June 21, 2009

	American Gangster [Unrated Extended/Rated Versions] [3 Discs] Universal Studios More	June 14, 2009

	American Gangster [Blu-ray] Universal Pictures More	November 24, 2008

	American Gangster [Blu-ray] [Unrated Universal Studios More	October 14, 2008

	American Gangster Universal Pictures More	March 10, 2008

	American Gangster [2 Discs] Universal Pictures More	March 10, 2008

	American Gangster [HD] Universal Pictures More	March 10, 2008

	American Gangster [2 Discs] Universal Studios More	February 19, 2008

	American Gangster [Extended Edition] [3 Discs] Universal Studios More	February 19, 2008

	American Gangster [HD] Universal Studios More	February 19, 2008