American Gangster

After being urged by a fried for several months, I finally watched American Gangster and I can’t shake the slight enthusiasm. Flawless direction, brilliant performances (and I don’t like Denzel too much) and an interesting story (at least for me, I haven’t seen many gangster movies so I can’t compare it within the genre), all combine to deliver a five-star worthy film. And even though I generally prefer films that are half as long, this one didn’t bore me for a second. (2008-07-03)

I have a feeling Ridley Scott must be on some kind of steroids, or he's an alien. To be able to have such a work pace and commitment at his age (7 films in the next 2 years(!!!), directing or producing) without lowering his standards of quality? Hats off to him! And there's no need to waste superlatives and repeat what has already been written, just a mention of Josh Brolin. His corrupt cop with his slicked back hair, booming bass and mischief in his eyes is exactly the persona, the expression imprinted on your memory that will come to mind when you think of this mafia epic in another 20 years. His few minutes of screen presence almost overshadows the two leads, his blackmail of Frank Lucas – "...Cause you don't fuckin know me! Do you see that right there? Special Investigations Unit. Special. Get it?" – in its bluntness and commanding delivery, almost made me smile. Just an irresistible son of a bitch par excellence. If Judi Dench got an Oscar for her four-minute snap in Shakespeare in Love, I'd give Josh two! (2008-01-03)

Impressed by its high ratings and aware that it was one of the most acclaimed films of last year, I expected an exceptional experience that did not materialize, though this is not to say it was a bad film. However, many gangster epics have been produced in the United States, and Ridley Scott's film does not rank among the very best. My favorites remain the older films by Scorsese and Coppola. Ridley Scott adds perhaps only racial issues and the trauma of the Vietnam War to the classic gangster theme. The first half of the film moves at a slow pace, and Russell Crowe seemed quite unremarkable to me. Most of the scenes felt familiar, as if I had seen them somewhere before, and they could have been shot with a bit more atmosphere. Nevertheless, it is a high-budget blockbuster, skillfully edited, with excellent music and good actors. Overall impression: 75%. (2008-02-10)

A Vietnamese gangster, a.k.a. a bit of a different kick in the rear to the way America was headed after the WWII, when you could swim in banknotes, but with more or less dirty hands, of course. Fantastically brisk, almost in the style of Scorsese’s best, skilfully put together around the informational and motivational parallelisms between the characters, and shot with a certain text-book aloofness that lets you not only appreciate the story of the protagonist, but also the general narrative and timeless diary of an era, and the links to the social or ideological components. But at the same time, non-stop fun as every proper cop movie. Very well spent three hours. 90% (2020-04-19)

It's been a couple of months since the release in cinemas and I still can't quite grasp the genius of this opus. Right after the premiere, I got carried away by the enthusiastic applause for the result, but over time, all that remained in my head was the traditionally stunning Crowe (unlike Washington, who must always play at full capacity, Denzel has a role written in such a way that he comes out as a king in any case) and Scott's precise direction, without which the film would collapse several floors down. However, I also have a problem with him not offering me a scene that would go down in history, and if I don't have to aim so high, at least something smaller like a stylish shootout. But that is missing and paradoxically, one of Zaillian's most proclaimed scripts is to blame for that. The lack of black and white between the two main characters, which causes the absence of a villain. The evil gaze is involuntarily directed at the generalized group of "corrupt cops", and despite apparent objectivity, Scott takes us where he wants us to be, and I have to be a little disappointed because this is not how I imagined Ridley's pivotal work in his career at all. I understand the global acclaim, but despite many positives, I'm not joining in. (2008-01-10)