Review of American Gangster (2007) by David S — 31 Mar 2016

American Gangster is a cat and mouse of slick gangsters and rough-edged cops. Portraying black gangsters from a different light, with different styles and sources, Denzel Washington carries the film well, with seemingly little effort.

Crowe seems a little out of place or miscast, but does well enough in his portrayal of the incorruptible policeman. Ridley Scott, using these two actors' talents to showcase a well plotted out story, creates an entertaining film, worth its due.

With a climax not paying off the great build-up, and the antagonist not coming to full potential, it can get frustrating, but as it's based on a true story, writing creativity is limited. Not as great as its other criminal counterparts, American Gangster is still very much a stand-alone good watch.