The Greatest Trick

Based on real events, Ridley Scott’s latest film details the rise and fall of heroin kingpin Frank Lucas (Denzel Washington), who used his connections in the US army to smuggle drugs from the Far East during the Vietnam War. Ludicrously honest cop Richie Roberts (Russell Crowe) – who previously found and turned in a million dollars in unmarked bills without taking a penny – vowed to bring Lucas down. However, this was no easy task, given the size of Lucas’ organisation and the corruption he encountered, particularly from other policemen on the take.

Denzel Washington is very good at playing the bad guy, and his performance recalls darker characters he had previously portrayed (in films like Training Day for instance). Russell Crowe is also good, and there are a smattering of memorable turns from the supporting cast – including Cuba Gooding Jr, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Armand Assante, Lymari Nadal, Ruby Dee and Josh Brolin.

Lucas and Roberts are initially seen as contrasting characters. Although Roberts is honest about his work, he is dishonest with his wife and is a serial womaniser. Lucas on the other hand is admirably committed to his family, extended family and friends despite being a ruthless criminal businessman who thinks nothing about shooting a man at point blank range in front of countless witnesses. But as the story progresses, they are seen to have common ground. Roberts is detested and alienated by other police because of his unscrupulous, legalistic ways. Lucas also finds himself alienated because the Italian mobsters whom he undercuts hate the fact that a black man has been more successful. Both are determined men who ultimately display a grudging respect for one another.

However, this is still a strong condemnation of the dark side of the American dream. One particularly effective sequence shows the Lucas family in prayer saying grace for their Thanksgiving meal, which is then interspersed with disturbing images of junkies taking drugs – including a toddler crying next to her unconscious mother in a squalid flat. Roberts’ knew the true cost of Lucas’ empire, and his incorruptibility and refusal to back down are ultimately admirable in an “Elliot Ness” kind of way.

In the past, Ridley Scott has been unfairly criticized for being all style and no substance. However, it could be argued that American Gangster is all substance and no style. This is a big, meaty film in terms of plot and characterisation, and Steven Zaillian’s screenplay covers a lot of ground, but it contains little of Scott’s unique visual flair. Instead he borrows the look and feel of great 70s thrillers like Serpico and The French Connection although its main influence is clearly The Godfather. At least two scenes – one where Frank Lucas angrily confronts one of his Italian associates about the attempted murder of him and his wife, and one where several violent deaths are intercut with a church service – are a deliberate attempt to evoke Francis Ford Coppola’s classic films. As such, American Gangster disqualifies itself from entry into the pantheon of great crime pictures.

That said this is a solid, absorbing film, and well worth a look. Obviously it does contain strong bloody violence and bad language throughout, plus some brief sex and nudity (most of which is in sequences with female workers packaging drugs who are made to work naked to ensure they don’t steal). Personally, I didn’t think any of the above was particularly gratuitous given the genre and subject matter, but obviously there are those who will disagree.

Simon Dillon, November 2007.