newmans_own's Movie Review of American Gangster

Bloated Exposition Hampers Otherwise Great Film
newmans_own - wrote on 11/03/07

The film seems more interested in character study than thrills, concentrating mostly on Lucas. He is, by all outward appearances, a decent man; he takes care of his family, has a loving wife and has worked his way to the top by himself. The only thing that’s keeping him from being a hero is the fact that he smuggles drugs for a living. It also helps that Lucas is played by Washington, one of Hollywood’s most likable stars. The film takes many moments to showcase Lucas’s alteration between family man and ruthless criminal, and Washington certainly delivers in these moments. It’s all a bit ho-hum (the shock of him as a villain seems to have worn off), but solid work nonetheless. Much more compelling, though sadly misused, is Crowe. Roberts is given basically nothing to do for the first half of the film, but Crowe remains a strong presence throughout. Not much time is taken to explore the darker side of his character; he has family problems, but they are dealt with so briefly that they barely register.

The film plods along for the first hour, offering nothing overtly compelling. The film is an entire build-up to the end; the last half-hour of the film is superbly constructed and ranks with the best crime thrillers, but the journey there seems unending and drags until it gradually picks up its feet. And aside from Crowe and Washington, a cast filled with recognizable faces is rarely given the opportunity to shine. An exception to this is Ruby Dee, outstanding and restrained in an unfortunately limited role as Washington’s mother. Most other characters are pushed aside in favor of studying Lucas and Roberts’ personalities and motivations. This sadly leads to prolonged scenes of the two sitting and talking to various partners, which does nothing to help the film’s sluggish pace early on.

AMERICAN GANGSTER poses itself to be the next great crime thriller, but by doing that, it believes in its own importance far too much and therefore falls short. There are many moments of greatness contained in it, but too much exposition must be waded through to get to them. Still, a memorable effort from Ridley Scott and compelling performances from Washington, Crowe and Ruby Dee make this film one of the year’s must-sees.

***

Full review at http://newmanscorner.blogspot.com