It was OK. I don't see why everyone loves it so much. It wasn't very smart or deep or well-directed.

I enjoyed watching this film and would recommend other to give it a try , (as I am) but this movie, although enjoyable to watch due to the better than average acting fails to add anything new to its storyline that is all too familiar to these types of movies.

Exactly the movie you think it is, but not the movie you want it to be.

Actress is magnificent and exudes a hypnotic screen presence in this affecting drama.

So we learn that Frank Lucas (D. Washington) deals in heroin tat ruins lives and kills people, preys on the poor and corrupts law and order. Doesn't stop Ridley Scott from insisting that we identify with Frank Lucas and eventually warm to him for cooperating with the Feds to identify bent cops. The penultimate scene has him laughing fondly with Russell Crowe, the honest cop who hunted him down - Crowe offers him a celebratory drink. Scott allows Washington's seductive, reassuring grin to smile along with him, to insist on our sympathy. Laced with racist undertones (the white hero, Russell Crowe, finally concedes black Washington's redemption; not a single member of Frank Lucas's family of black brothers and cousins hesitates to join his murderous business with glee - black families stick together). Meanwhile, young people continue to die in squalor and despair on the streets - with plenty of gratuitous close-ups of real needles pushing into real flesh. The film is, at best, morally incoherent - at worst, it is a crude apology for wealth, private enterprise, and a sneaking admiration for buccaneering gangsters so redolent of Coppola and, in a more twisted way, Scorcese.

Denzel Washington delivers a strong performance in this otherwise underwhelming movie that fails expectations due to bad cinematography, hyperactive pacing and rushed editing. The scenes feel disjointed and just feel like they have been clustered together, while the cinematography continues shaking the screen as you become dizzy while to attempt to pay attention to the film. Now that we got that out of the way the acting and dialogue remain strong in their form as they shadow the cons of the film and stand tall, as well as the script and interesting true story the film's based on. Russell Crowe and Denzel Washington both share their perspectives of the scenario happening and the film delivers the audience a two-sided coin that is tossed in the air on the occasions. This film could of been good because of these pros, but I just thought that those cons somehow pushed into the viewing experience, therefore ruining it, which is why I give this a 6.3/10. It was sad, really; I really wanted to like this. Oh well.

One of the things I love most about Ridley Scott is his willingness to try everything, he's tried his hand at almost every genre in his career and while it's hasn't always workout for him I always admire the effort. But I don't just have to admire the effort here because I loved this movie, it's one of Ridley Scott's best and one of the greatest movies of 2007. A large part of that is due to its two central characters. I loved the character of Frank Lucas in this film he was so captivating I loved seeing his arc and business acumen and is by far one of Denzel Washingtons best and most complex performances. Russell Crowe and Ridley Scott are great together I loved Crowes character because again he was a complex one I loved seeing him want more than what he had and I loved the scenes between these two characters. The world of Harlem in this movie just sucks you right in you immediately see what kind of place this is and see what's been done to it by people like Lucas. Another thing I loved about this movie was the fact that everything had consequences, we see with our own eyes the fallout of Lucas' dealings and make him a more well rounded character. I think this movie has some of the best uses of violence in a movie because it's used to enhance the story, the extra blood or close ups of drug ridden dead bodies sucks us into the atmosphere more. I also really liked Josh Brolin in this movie I thought his character added something to this movie his story arc of being a corrupt police officer paralleled very nicely with Crowes head strong, good-cop arc and added to the bleak atmosphere Scott was trying to create. other characters I loved seeing were Lucas' brother it set up a nice dynamic between them, it's was good to see them get sucked into this world and I thought it added to Washingtons character to see him slowly isolate everyone he loves and creates for some really disturbing sequences. If I have one flaw with this movie it would be that it's definitely similar in terms of style and tone to other Gangster flicks but if it works for what To filmmakers are trying to accomplish and it does just that then I'm fine with that for the most part but the only area I thought this didn't quite work for was the love story I just didn't think it added anything to this film and I didn't really buy the chemistry between the two. This is a fast paced, entertaining and long lasting crime thriller, it's one of Scott's best movies with great performances, very good character dynamics and arcs. It's definitely similar to other movies of this genre but it doesn't hold this movie back from its greatness. 91%/A

Director Ridley Scott's Output is Inconsistent. He has made some Great Award Winning Films and a Substantial Number that are Not.The Gangster Genre has its Modern Era Royalty..."The Godfathers" (1972-90)..."Scarface" (1983)..."Goodfellas" (1990)..."Donnie Brasco" (1997)... etc. and the Director Knocks on the Castle Door with this Epic, but some say that He was Denied Entry.The Film is Rich with 1970's Culture, has Two Powerhouse Leads (Denzel Washington, Russell Crowe), a Budget to Kill for ($100 million), a Fine and Respected Screen Writer (Steven Zaillian), and a Sprawl of Characters and Locations. It Looks Great, has an Enormous Running Time (157/176 min), and Gangster Culture is almost Always Box-Office Booty when done on this Level.It's a Good Movie, with its Attention to Detail Rewarding, the Big Cast List is Populated with A-List Character Actors, and the Story is True Life Legend. Professional comes to Mind when the Movie Unreels. But it somehow lacks the Spark of the New that the Kings of the Genre have in Common.While it Fails to Ignite, it does Blow By some of its more Mediocre Contemporaries. However, the Film is too Conventional in a Category that is so Common, so Ingrained in American Culture, it takes more than just Professionalism to make it Rise to the Top."American Gangster" is Not one of the Director's Least Inspired Projects, it's Better than quite a few of His Recent Films. There is much to See here and while it didn't make it into the "Gangster Court" of the Truly Greats of the Genre, it's No "Fugazi" Either.