Movies · TV · Games · Culture Find your next favorite

Movies

American Gangster Review

American Gangster (2007), directed by Ridley Scott, is a feature film reviewed here for its story, performances, filmmaking, and lasting impact.

Story and Characters

Harlem drug kingpin Frank Lucas builds a powerful criminal enterprise while detective Richie Roberts pursues the network behind it.

Performances and Direction

Denzel Washington commands the screen with chilling restraint, and Russell Crowe gives the law-enforcement side a grounded, imperfect center. Scott’s period detail captures the social texture of 1970s New York.

Filmmaking and Themes

The sprawling story sometimes relies on familiar gangster-movie conventions and dramatizes disputed real events, but its central performances and patient storytelling make the rise-and-fall narrative compelling.

The Final Verdict

A polished crime epic with magnetic leads and a richly realized setting.

Movie Information

  • Film: American Gangster
  • Year: 2007
  • Director: Ridley Scott
  • Cast: Denzel Washington, Russell Crowe, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Josh Brolin