American Gangster

American Gangster (Ridley Scott, US, 2007) ★★★★

The great British director Ridley Scott tried the gangster subject set in US for the first time. He challenged a story based on a true event and presents the different sense of period epic from “Gladiator” and “Kingdom of Heaven.”

When US were covered in the shadow of join the Vietnam War in the 60s, the already-serious problem of drug abuse was even more outrageous. Frank Lucas, who had a high status in the gangster society in New York, faced the death of his boss and mentor and had to build his own foundation of power as soon as possible. The Vietnam War and drug abuse are together the best way.

The just and righteous detective Richie Roberts although resisted the various temptation of money without any doubt, he who focused on work couldn’t give his family happiness. While he was assigned as the leader of the drug investigation squad, he also had to deal with the lawsuit of custody.

Under the written by the Oscar-winning writer Steven Zaillian, except being persistence or brutal on the outside, there’s also the situation of unable to take care both or dilemma the two main characters engaged. It makes audience understand the motivations behind their actions.

All the way from the first co-star movie “Virtuosity” to the Oscar nominations for several years in a row, Russell Crowe and Danzel Washington still keep this image of being opposite to each other in this second co-star film. But as long as where there are the names of them both, where there is the guarantee of absolute brilliance. The performances of them still hold the outstanding standard as usual, and the first-string ensemble acting reinforces the seeing-worthy of this film.

Although it’s a story about a period that had gone away long ago, the phenomenon of gangsters, drug abuse and corrupted, power-abused officials in US still remain nowadays. In the mean time of presenting the society form and event of the time, this movie also provides a comparison compares to the modern society and the consequential results that are resulted by each one’s different values.