{mosimage}Based on true events, Ridley Scott narrates the story of Frank Lucas, the first afro-American who managed to become boss of a massive mafia organization.
Everybody expects every new Ridley Scott´s movie with high expectations, including me, and this time, I must say I was not disappointed. The work of both lead actors, Washington as Frank Lucas and Russel Crowe as the incorruptible detective Richie Roberts are immaculately superb, credible and well-measured.
The action catches you immediately, and you really feel identified following the steps of Lukas while escalating in the crime American sphere and Crowe messing up his personal life, but never giving the back to honesty as policeman. Josh Brolin, although not the young guy from The Goonies anymore, seems to be living a second youth choosing successfully his last appearances (you may remember him from the recent Robert Rodriguez´s Planet Terror too) and is perfect for the balance of the film as the corrupted Detective Trupo. The trips of Lukas to Far East to deal with the importation of the drugs add an exotic note to the action, and help to develop the personality of the character, who will not step back against any difficulty. Also the shooting in the street when Lukas shoots his rival is a memorable cinema moment due to his rawness and realism.
If you like mafia and gangster movies do not miss this American Gangster. Scott was able to achieve a difficult task: to show that not everybody is already written in the genre.
Rating 5/5.