Review of Gangster Squad (2013) by Rick R — 13 Oct 2013

Gangster Squad (2013).

Warner Brothers basically invented the gangster movie, so who else could better give us an updated version of one than this studio. This movie plays very fast and loose with the facts (Mickey Cohen basically died of old age), and the movie has every cliche in the book, but it was still an enjoyable movie.

This movie also seems awfully familiar with Mulholland Drive (1995) which also stared Nick Nolte and is about the L.A. Hat Squad. I personally prefer Gangster Squad. This movie has a lot more action, and, well, style.

It's 1949 Los Angeles and over-the-top-gangster, Mickey Cohen (Sean Penn) is taking over the town. L.A. Police Chief WilliamParker (Nolte) assigns white knight police Sergeant John O'Mara (Josh Brolin) to put together a group of "Off-the-Books" officers to destroy any and all of Cohen's criminal enterprises.

Naturally, O'Mara picks a bunch of police misfits that offer certain qualities needed for the job, including a cop of questionable loyalty, Sgt. Jerry Wooter (Ryan Gosling) who has a lot of underworld friends including Cohen's girl, Grace Faraday (Emma Stone).

Brolin's classic rugged looks really shine in this movie, and Emma Stones fashions look right out of an old black & white movie. Another thing I liked about this movie was that the music was true to the era, unlike The Great Gatsby (2013), which used modern music to keep the attention of the younger crowd. This film really celebrated (at least the image of) older L.A.