Denzel Washington and Russell Crowe deliver inspired performances as rivals from opposite sides of the law in director Ridley Scott’s true-crime epic.
’70s era Harlem drug king Frank Lucas (Denzel Washington) doesn’t stand against Richie Roberts, an honest cop (Russell Crowe) who plays by the book.
Before smuggling 100 kilos of heroin from Southeast Asia with help from the U.S. military during the Viet Nam war, Frank Lucas usurps his respected crime boss mentor Bumpy Johnson when he drops dead from a heart attack.
Upstanding Harlem community figure Frank Lucas undercuts his competition’s drug prices, and builds a successful cartel.
Although entertaining “American Gangster” fails to rise to the level of movies like “Scarface” or “The Godfather” due, in part, to a lack of vision by cinematographer Harris Savides.
Marc Streitenfeld’s underachieving musical score is an ear sore.
Rated R. 157 mins.
