nan | 楠木

Ridley Scott’s new film, American Gangster, is an exercise in stylish filmmaking and brisk narrating – the film, running at 150+ minutes long, feels like a train whooshing past while oozing style and class.

Essentially, the film progresses along two tracks, which eventually intertwine and finally merge. On one track, we witness the rise of 1970s drug lord Frank Lucas (Denzel Washington), which is a rags to riches story in the true spirit of the American Dream. On the other track, there’s Detective Richie Roberts (Russel Crowe), a cop who is marginalized because of his integrity, and who’s determined to bring down the big drug lords as well as the corrupt cops, such as Detective Trupo (Josh Brolin).

The film is fast-paced and always on the move, switching back and forth between the two tracks seemingly effortlessly. Washington and Crowe are both at the top of their game, with Washington more eye-catchy as the ruthless gangster that places family at the top of his priority list. The contradictory and multi-facet nature of his character’s personality gives him bigger room to flex his muscles. Crowe plays the straight cop who doesn’t know how to lie (except when it comes to his derailed marriage and women). It’s a much more straightforward character, and he pulls it off with ease.

In any gangster film, the gangster is always likable – we hate to admit it, but we are all secretly attracted to the on-screen persona of the likes of Michael Corleone and Scarface. Sure, they are ruthless scoundrels, but that doesn’t stop us from admiring their fascinating personalities. It’s the same case with American Gangster – it’s hard not to like Frank Lucas and see him build up his empire, only to then see it crashing to the ground. Castles in the air.

8/10