American Gangster

A solid and coherent gangster movie. Maybe not very attractive at first glance due to the long running time, but the trio of Ridley Scott, Denzel Washington and Russell Crowe is like clockwork and the entertainment was taken care of. Great story, sharp lines, killing, brutality, an interesting ending. I'm very satisfied. 80% (12/06/2015)

It's been a couple of months since the cinematic release and I still can't quite grasp the genius of this opus. Right after the premiere, I got carried away by the enthusiastic applause for the result, but over time, all that remained in my head was the traditionally stunning Russell Crowe (unlike Denzel Washington, who must always play at full capacity; Denzel has a role written in such a way that he comes out as a king in any case) and Ridley Scott's precise direction, without which the film would collapse several floors down. However, I also have a problem with him not offering me a scene that would go down in history, and if I don't have to aim so high, at least something smaller like a stylish shootout. But that is missing and paradoxically, one of Steven Zaillian's most proclaimed scripts is to blame for that. The lack of black and white between the two main characters, which causes the absence of a villain. The evil gaze is involuntarily directed at the generalized group of "corrupt cops", and despite apparent objectivity, Scott takes us where he wants us to be, and I have to be a little disappointed because this is not how I imagined Ridley's pivotal work in his career at all. I understand the global acclaim, but despite many positives, I'm not joining in. (10/01/2008)

Impressed by its high ratings and aware that it was one of the most acclaimed films of last year, I expected an exceptional experience that did not materialize, though this is not to say it was a bad film. However, many gangster epics have been produced in the United States, and Ridley Scott's film does not rank among the very best. My favorites remain the older films by Scorsese and Coppola. Ridley Scott adds perhaps only racial issues and the trauma of the Vietnam War to the classic gangster theme. The first half of the film moves at a slow pace, and Russell Crowe seemed quite unremarkable to me. Most of the scenes felt familiar, as if I had seen them somewhere before, and they could have been shot with a bit more atmosphere. Nevertheless, it is a high-budget blockbuster, skillfully edited, with excellent music and good actors. Overall impression: 75%. (10/02/2008)

An excellent, atmospheric gangster movie. Perfect directing from Ridley Scott, excellent acting performances from Denzel Washington and Russell Crowe is further enhanced by an excellent screenplay. And Josh Brolin made a really good impression on me; he’s appearing in better and better roles these days. (05/03/2008)

"Success. It's got enemies. You can be successful and have enemies, or you can be unsuccessful and have friends." The rise and fall of a businessman who managed, by choosing the right commodity (heroin on the street always has a higher margin than hot dogs) and drastically shortening the supply chain, to successfully fuel the fires of drug addiction for several years. Allegedly 99% Hollywood and 1% the real world of Frank Lucas’s evil, but who cares about the latent glorification of a criminal when Ridley Scott revs up his locomotive from zero to full throttle? The integration of historical events and purposeful direction without unnecessary showboating stood out, though it also brought the often-discussed lack of genre originality. (12/05/2014)