American Gangster lives up to hype
Based on a true story idolizing crime and bringing to the top a male with a glowing dream, American Gangster is a well directed film by Ridley Scott with an enormous Oscar winning cast of actors.
The film follows Frank Lucas (Denzel Washington), a man who became a hero in the streets of Harlem in 1970. It is the story of an overlooked driver for one of the inner cities crime fighters, Bumpy Johnson.
Lucas takes what he has learned after his boss dies and is left with hunger to accomplish what no other black gangster has ever been able to in the history of the Ialian Mob.
Lucas aspires to be a unique sort of inner city criminal that will go over the top of some of the greatest gangsters.
His innovation puts him at top of the Mob as he utilizes and takes advantage of the Vietnam War.
He does this through purchasing and importing uncut heroin directly from Southeast Asian kingpins who sell it to American soldiers.
Lucas’ first purchase of 100 kilograms is returned when he corrupts the U.S. military into a deal by having them ship back his merchandise.
This is how “blue magic” is born in New York city, putting other drug dealers out of business.
The movie revolves around a world of drugs that is easily set up to view and understand, capturing the audience and keeping them thrilled at the edge of their seat. The detailed life of Lucas is exposed, and rapidly becomes more successful through crime committed under the noses of negligent police officers.
The drama unfolds back and forth between Lucas and Richie Roberts (Russell Crowe), an honest incorruptible narcotics officer that will do everything to hunt Lucas down.
American Gangster comes tantalizingly close to “Scarface” and “The Godfather.”