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The life of drug tycoon Frank Lucas falls into that category of incredible stories that lack authenticity as soon as a movie is made out of it. In an attempt to dramatise the life of a black drug tycoon of the1970s, Ridley Scott delivered the goods well, but it certainly isn't anepic.
American Gangster may be forever known as the only drug movie in which the druglord placed much emphasis in the significance of 'brand names' and 'trademark infringement' in the heroin trade. It is as ironic as it is corny. There are many moments in the movie where the truth is often questioned; that what we see Lucas do on screen is what he actually did in real life. The film claimed that Lucas, being the brilliant criminal that he was, managed to import premium grade from the far east hidden in coffins of fallen American troops during the Vietnam War. This huge stash of heroin passed by the police undiscovered and untouched, despite its thorough search efforts as depicted in the film. If criminals are also liars, this startling sequence of events is highly exaggerated, if not invented entirely.
Notwithstanding the credibility of the film, American Gangster's saviour lies in the remarkable Denzel Washington who is very compelling as a drug tycoon with ingenuity and strict business ethics. Washington displays a wide array of characters onscreen - suave and charming at one point, strict and unforgiving to his careless subordinates in another. Another heavyweight in this film, and I do mean it figuratively, is none other than Russell Crowe whose beer belly becomes very distracting after a while. Again, as much as I like to believe Crowe's performance as a do-gooder and unassuming hero, the almost too easy methods of tracking down Frank Lucas towards the end of the film made me all the more sceptical.
All in all, American Gangster is not cliched entirely, just very very familiar. Think Catch Me If You Can. Nevertheless, this film should definitely whet your appetite to catch more, and hopefully, stellar movies throughout the rest of the year.
Happy watching.
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