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Denzel Washington, Russell Crowe, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Cuba Gooding Jr., Josh Brolin ... see more see more... , Ted Levine , Armand Assante , Clarence Williams III , John Ortiz , John Hawkes , RZA , Lymari Nadal , Yul Vázquez , Ruby Dee , Idris Elba , Carla Gugino , Joe Morton , Common , Jon Polito , Kevin Corrigan , Roger Guenveur Smith , Malcolm Goodwin , Ric Young , Roger Bart , Tip 'T.I.' Harris , KaDee Strickland , Ruben Santiago-Hudson , Norman Reedus , Albert Jones , J. Kyle Manzay , Warner Miller , Hamilton Clancy

Director Ridley Scott spins this yarn concerning a Harlem drug kingpin (Denzel Washington) who smuggles heroin into the country by hiding it in the bodies of U.S. soldiers killed during battle in Viet... read more read more...nam. There was a time when no one noticed reserved driver Frank Lucas (Washington), but when the criminal kingpin he was charged with transporting through the city streets suddenly dies, Lucas seizes the opportunity to build his own criminal empire. In the following months, Lucas solidifies his status as Harlem's most innovative drug dealer by delivering a product that is purer than the competitors' and cheaper, as well. When innovative businessman Lukas attempts to go semi-legit by becoming one of the Manhattan borough's biggest civil supporters, however, street-savvy outcast cop Ritchie Roberts (Russell Crowe) begins to sense a sizable shift in the hierarchy of the drug underworld. But Roberts is one of the few honest detectives operating within a corrupt system, and as he sets out to investigate the case, crooked detective Trupo (Josh Brolin) does everything in his power to compromise the integrity of his idealistic counterpart. Upon clearing all of the usual Mafia-connected suspects, Roberts begins to believe that a previously unknown black power player has come out of the woodwork to dominate the local drug trade. While Roberts and Lucas may be operating on opposite sides of the law, the one thing that both men have in common is a strict code of ethics that separates them from their opportunistic colleagues. Now, as a confrontation between the two men becomes inevitable and the fate of each becomes inexorably tied to the other, it gradually becomes apparent that only one of them will emerge from the conflict victorious. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

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208 critics

R, 2 hr. 37 min.

Directed by: Ridley Scott

Release Date: November 2, 2007

Keywords: action, mafia, mob, gangster, crime

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DVD Release Date: February 19, 2008

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Stats: 72,148 reviews

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Flixster Reviews (72,148)

  • MovieGeek13
    May 19, 2012
    MovieGeek13
    The great director Ridley Scott has three masterpieces behind his belt: Alien, Blade Runner, and Gladiator. He can now add a fourth to that list: American Gangster.
    Besides another great performance by Denzel Washington, not to mention the incredible supporting actors he has to... read more work with like Russell Crowe, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Josh Brolin, Arman Assante, and Cuba Gooding Jr., the film is a wholly original gangster picture. Denzel's performance is not to be understated however. His fans will get everything they watch the actor for; the smooth talk, the mannerisms, the bad ass stare, the yelling, and the cool demeanour. But like his best roles, he turns Frank Lucas into a fully realized character, a flawed but wholly sympathetic one.
    The story focuses on how Frank Lucas was able to make more money than the Mafia through good business decisions. This film could almost be taught in economics classes, except for the fact that Lucas' product is heroine. Image, and an honest living giving back to the community were what helped Lucas get ahead, stay ahead for as long as he did, and never get backstabbed.
    The film smartly contrasts his life with Richie Roberts (Crowe), who may stand for what's right, but doesn't impact his community the way Lucas does. Lucas isn't Scarface, nor is he Michael Corleone. He went a diferent way, which makes his story just as important as the others.
    Ridley's production team successfully and accurately re-creates a gritty, realistic view of Harlem in the 1970s. They also don't shy away from showing what Lucas' product is doing to addicts. There's no denying that Frank Lucas does bad things. But given the world he grew up in, he did what he could to survive, and survive he did.
    Note: I prefer the theatrical version to the unrated cut. I believe that Ridley made the edits for the theatrical cut for a reason and the additions interrupt the pacing and don't add any more depth to the already perfect narrative.
  • scottgreen96
    April 2, 2012
    scottgreen96
    A strong deliverance from Washington and the rest of the main characters, with a clever plot, and just a generally good watch that requires some listening.
  • garyX
    March 22, 2012
    garyX
    American Gangster tells of the rise of 70s Harlem drug baron Denzel Washington and the efforts of crusading detective Russell Crowe to bring him to justice. Once again Ridley Scott proves he is one of the best directors working today, brilliantly bringing the Harlem of the period... read more to life and essentially telling two tales in tandem in an intelligent and always entertaining way. Denzel is always better in his shadier roles, and this for me has to be one of his best. It does not have the grit and intensity of Scorsese's gangster pieces and the action/violence is sparse. It's more in the vein of something like Infernal affairs or a 70s version of The Wire in its treatment of the story and Scott's pacing is spot on, as the film despite its two and three quarter hour length never drags. The climactic shoot out is brilliantly done, delivered by Scott in a way you know his brother is completely incapable of; his version probably would have been an unwatchably choppy hallucinogenic migraine. It would have been nice to see Crowe and Washington share the screen a little more, but otherwise it delivered on every level. It doesn't challenge the classics, such as The Godfather or Goodfellas, but more than holds its own against other heavyweights such as Donnie Brasco and The Departed.
  • fb1664868775
    October 31, 2011
    fb1664868775
    Though not on par with other gangster classics by Scorsese, Copolla or DePalma, this look at the life of a Harlem drug kingpin is a fascinating watch and a great return from Ridley Scott. Denzel Washington puts in a great performance as well.
  • fb619846742
    September 7, 2011
    fb619846742
    Although it doesn't hold up to memory as well as it probably should be given its fairly familiar plot, 'Gangster' is still worth a view thanks to the presence alone of Denzel Washington as an emerging drug kingpin. The Russell Crowe character is heavily cliched and could have bee... read moren better developed, but the hunting down of Washington's dangerous character is still captivating despite the movie's long running time (nearly three hours? Come on...). I loved the film when I first saw it in high school, but now I merely like it. If it was more tightly run and the Crowe character wasn't so obvious than maybe this would have been a memorable masterpiece.
  • DreamExtractor
    August 31, 2011
    DreamExtractor
    American Gangster is a gernius imaging of the crime lord Frank Lucas and is one of Ridley Scotts best films. A Harlem drug kingpin (Denzel Washington) who smuggles heroin into the country by hiding it in the bodies of U.S. soldiers killed during battle in Vietnam. There was a ti... read moreme when no one noticed reserved driver Frank Lucas (Washington), but when the criminal kingpin he was charged with transporting through the city streets suddenly dies, Lucas seizes the opportunity to build his own criminal empire. In the following months, Lucas solidifies his status as Harlem's most innovative drug dealer by delivering a product that is purer than the competitors' and cheaper, as well. When innovative businessman Lukas attempts to go semi-legit by becoming one of the Manhattan borough's biggest civil supporters, however, street-savvy outcast cop Ritchie Roberts (Russell Crowe) begins to sense a sizable shift in the hierarchy of the drug underworld. But Roberts is one of the few honest detectives operating within a corrupt system, and as he sets out to investigate the case, crooked detective Trupo (Josh Brolin) does everything in his power to compromise the integrity of his idealistic counterpart. Upon clearing all of the usual Mafia-connected suspects, Roberts begins to believe that a previously unknown black power player has come out of the woodwork to dominate the local drug trade. While Roberts and Lucas may be operating on opposite sides of the law, the one thing that both men have in common is a strict code of ethics that separates them from their opportunistic colleagues. Now, as a confrontation between the two men becomes inevitable and the fate of each becomes inexorably tied to the other, it gradually becomes apparent that only one of them will emerge from the conflict victorious. The plot of this film is Oscar worthy, the world that we enter is amazing and twisted, Scott shows us the underbelly of drugs and the life Frank Lucas lived. The acting is incredible, Denzel is so unforgettable and Russell crowe is amazing as well and is also a great character. This movie is one of my favorite mob films, and it is truly a genius film and one of Denzels best.
  • cosmo313
    February 12, 2011
    cosmo313
    This is an amazing piece of work, just below par with classic gangster films such as Goodfellas, Casino, Scarface, Carlito's Way, The Godfather Trilogy, and drug films like Blow. The acting, huge ensemble cast, and small details about the drug (heroin) industry are amazing to wat... read morech take place. The film is lengthy, but oh so worth it, This could have been a much shorter film with more violence, which would make it more accessible, but it but that might harm the thing that makes it work the most: character development. I haven't seen this much attention to details concerning characters who are very textured and complex since Heat. It's not as violent as I was anticipating, but I didn't care. Violence or not, this film is still brilliant, and bound to be a classic someday.
  • sanjurosamurai
    January 15, 2011
    sanjurosamurai
    although this film dims slightly with time, it is still a phenomenal film and one of the better gangster films ever made. it almost went the direction of depalmas scarface, but averted such a tragedy just in time to remain an amazing film.
  • hunterjt13
    November 25, 2010
    hunterjt13
    For much of this film, I thought it was two movies combined, one starring Washington and the other starring Crowe. And even after the film ended, I still see the stories as separate. The film attempts to convince us that Lucas and Roberts form a friendship based upon the mutual... read more respect of adversaries, but there simply aren't enough scenes between the two characters to make this believable. I suppose I expected something on the order of the Pacino/DeNiro scene in Heat.
    This is minor flaw in an otherwise strong film. I can't say that it does much, but the performances, especially by Washington, who is always good, are excellent, and Scott's direction is even and natural. The film doesn't seem to judge its characters, presenting Lucas as a cold-blooded, detached, and unrepentant criminal who loves his mother as a Southern man should and Roberts as a poor father and a cop whose honesty becomes both his badge of honor and his shield against all kinds of valid criticism. Additionally, almost all of the characters in the film use the term "dope" to refer to heroin; I suspect this term, which most often refers to pot, was deployed to detract from the incredible harm the drug causes, though balancing this is an effective montage of drug-addled customers. It is also a sprawling epic of a film, the director's cut lasting close to three hours, and it is a credit that the film held my attention for so long.
    Overall, this is not Scarface or Get Shorty, glorifying its eponymous hero; rather it's along the lines of Donnie Brasco and Goodfellas presenting gangster life in all its seedy luxury.
  • MeetMeinMontauk
    November 16, 2010
    MeetMeinMontauk
    Seems like a cross between French Connection and the Godfather. Though I don't know about you, but I basically waited 2 hours to watch Denzel and Russell interact. Overall, it wasn't bad. Not my favorite crime drama ever ever, but hey. It was significantly long. Like wow. And I t... read morehink they could have extended Denzel and Russell's interaction. I guess I have a thing for watching legendary actors interact.

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Critic Reviews

Bob Mondello
October 18, 2008
Bob Mondello, NPR.org

Ridley Scott's gangster flick aims high and mostly measures up. Full Review

Jonathan F. Richards
November 6, 2007
Jonathan F. Richards, Film.com

How much truth we get in the movie version is hard to say...nobody much cares if it's gospel, as long as it's riveting. Here, alas, it is not. Full Review

David Ansen
November 5, 2007
David Ansen, Newsweek

For all its grit, style and atmosphere, Gangster never sweeps you away. It has neither the lurid bravado of De Palma's "Scarface" nor the intimate grasp of the criminal lifestyle you find in Scorsese ... Full Review

Todd McCarthy
November 2, 2007
Todd McCarthy, Variety

Washington's steely grip on his impersonation of Frank Lucas holds the film together. Full Review

Geoff Pevere
November 2, 2007
Geoff Pevere, Toronto Star

Ridley Scott's listless Big Statement is a wheezy, hot air-inflated dud. Full Review

Richard Schickel
November 2, 2007
Richard Schickel, TIME Magazine

An intelligent, well-made and seductive movie. Full Review

Bruce Newman
November 2, 2007
Bruce Newman, San Jose Mercury News

In its title character, the movie has created a murdering, dope-slinging millionaire from the streets that even Denzel Washington has managed to make boring. Full Review

Mick LaSalle
November 2, 2007
Mick LaSalle, San Francisco Chronicle

American Gangster is an enjoyable double character study, and the movie's length ultimately becomes an advantage. Full Review

Jan Stuart
November 2, 2007
Jan Stuart, Newsday

As with an earlier star who fed off career criminals, Humphrey Bogart, there is always something a bit smarmy about Washington, even in his heroic mode; the nastier his character grows, the looser his... Full Review

David Edelstein
November 2, 2007
David Edelstein, New York Magazine

Their ambition is out there. But for all the sprawl, American Gangster feels secondhand. It's like Scarface drained of blood, at arm's length from the culture that spawned it. Full Review

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    • Ellsworth "Bumpy" Johnson: This is the problem. This is what's wrong with America. It's gotten so big, you just can't find your way. The grocery store on the corner is now a supermarket. The candy store is a McDonald's. And this place, a super-fucking discount store. Where's the pride of ownership, huh? Where's the personal service? You see what I mean? Shit. I mean, what right do they have, of cutting out the suppliers, pushing out all the middlemen, buying direct from the manufacturer? Sony this, Toshiba that. All them Chinks putting Americans out of work. That's the way it is now. You can't find the heart of anything to stick the knife.
    • Chinese General: Quitting when you are ahead is not the same as quitting.
    • Frank Lucas: Even a fool gets to be young once.
    • Richie Roberts: It was the right thing to do.
    • Frank Lucas: You're either somebody or you're nobody.
    • Richie Roberts: The number one fear of people isn't dying, it's public speaking.
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American Gangster Trivia

  • Who was the actor that played in these movies: Virtuosity, American Gangster, The Quick and the Dead and LA Confidential?  Answer »
  • Russell Crowe and Denzel Washington have been in two movies together. One is American Gangster, what's the other?  Answer »
  • What two movies have Denzel Washington & Russell Crowe starred in together?  Answer »
  • True-or-False The movie American Gangster is based on a true story about a famous drug lord?  Answer »
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