As far as subject matter is concerned, American Gangster is no trailblazer. But fortunately for us, a true story about drug culture is one of those subjects that is always green, never cashed (pardon my puns).
The movie follows drug lord Frank Lucas (Denzel Washington), whose rise to prominence in the late 1960s is paralleled by Harlem’s demise as a city with an unshakable habit. The stuff is called Blue Magic: 100 percent pure heroin from Bangkok that Lucas and his brothers smuggled into the U.S. using war planes from Vietnam.
Richie Roberts (Russell Crowe) is the detective on the crack-down. His obstacles are three-fold; not only must he take out the Lucas family juggernaut, but he also has to work against corrupt cops who are content with receiving bribes from dealers as well as the users who will go a long way to get their fix. With all this going on, director Ridley Scott is patient, using all two hours and forty-five minutes to create realistic crime drama.
Like its uber-successful predecessor Blow, Gangster tells the chilling story of a greedy man’s tragic fall. But where Blow stops, this film continues to trudge into the muck of the issue, eventually reaching that elusive ‘next level’ in its ability to portray the frustratingly cyclical effects that a drug influx has on society.
It’s sad, powerful, and unrelenting; Martian Child is sure to be a sunshiny alternative. But for those ready, prepare for a hit of realism—no needle required.
Five stars
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