Just good enough to recommend while at the same time being half a colossal disappointment, Ridley Scott’s American Gangster manages to steal just enough from the 70’s to make it worthwhile… without actually adding anything at all to the genre.
There’s rarely a new scene scattered within the entire 157-minute-long running time of Gangster – you’ve seen it all before in 70’s film staples ranging from The Godfather to The French Connection – but it’s oddly fitting to see the story of the criminal kingpin Frank Lucas pilfering scenes from better movies and coasting along on charm alone (Director Ridley Scott even stoops to stealing the ending of Denzel’s own boxing movie The Hurricane and passing it off as his own).
So the movie is missing the thrill of an original movie-going experience, but there’s a reason these scenes worked the first time around and there’s enough left in them to make the film feel like more than just a recycling job. The art direction and cinematography are pitch perfect for the era they’re trying to recreate and there’s solid supporting acting work from Chiwetel Ejiofor and Cuba Gooding, Jr. (yes, Cuba) even though both actors are thrust into underdeveloped roles.
But what everyone came for was the acting heavyweights Denzel Washington and Russell Crowe trying to extricate themselves from the embarrassment of 1995’s Virtuosity.
They do. Denzel spends most of his time rehashing his Alonzo character from Training Day (in a movie that steals so much already, isn’t this kind of the perfect thing for him to be doing?). Of course by now everyone knows all Denzel has to do is show up and he oozes cool, but unfortunately this is the first movie he seems to really know it… and I always felt he was playing it over the top. But even if Denzel gets it slightly off, Russell Crowe does some heavy lifting in the acting department, turning in some weird amalgamation of 70’s cop performances that has shades of “Popeye” Doyle and Serpico thrown in for good measure.
It’s all building to a great climax, one of the few scenes that Crowe and Denzel really cross paths… but in doing so it throws out the character Denzel has been presenting us for two hours and shows you how good the movie really could have been if it were really working from beginning to end. So instead of something special, we get something standard.
Tuesday, November 13, 2007
American Gangster (Ridley Scott, 2007)
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12 comments:
"I can verify that" since I saw this film with Brian. I think it was a let down because the trailer was amazing and almost made the movie seem more intense. But at the same time you can't help but be intrigued by Denzel's character because he always does a suave performance.
The one scene with Denzel and Crowe are worth seeing the movie for. It's almost a contest to see who can take over as this year's oscar nominee "king of cool" if there ever was one.
I give it a solid B. I look forward to his next film "The Debaters" directed by Mel Tolson even though it has potential to be another disappoinment. Not by performance, but screenplay.
Now name the movie which I quote in the beginng of this post. Now that's a damn good movie right there. Props to whoever gets it! :)
Out of Towners (1970) No?
I will eventually get around to seeing this. The trailer did look pretty intense so it's disappointing to hear that perhaps it doesn't live up to that...I'm still curious to hear what everyone else has to say about it though.
Don't try "google"ing "I can verify that." You don't get squat. You got me. Though I think this could lead to quite a fun post topic. Random movie quotes that we all try to guess where they are from.
That'd be a great recurring idea. Anyone who would like to can post one anytime (everyone has access to posting on the main page, right?) And for as much as I love films, I'm admittedly awful at guessing these movie quotes. I couldn't get the answer of The Out-of-Towners (yep, Rebecca's right) and I've seen the movie twice already. Doh.
And yeah, the movie just moves at a glacial pace comparatively to the trailer. That's not always a bad thing, I love slow movies sometimes and it's not really a bad thing here except that they marketed it as "The Departed of Drug Dealing" and instead we got a much slower story than that with a lot less drama too. Honestly though, one of my biggest problems with the film is the shocking letdown between the trailer and the movie. It seemed like a surefire A.
Oh, and I wanted to verify back the bride's comments also. Haha. Kelly and I were pretty much 100% in agreement over this one and The Great Debaters trailer as well. Wanted more from both.
also, side note: Denzel directs The Great Debaters. It's his first directorial effort since the so-so Antwone Fisher.
Yay, I'm so happy Rebecca got it. haha. The quote is from the first make of the "The Out of Towners" with Jack Lemmon and Sandy Dennis. It's one of those movies that never grows old and everytime the same scenes are equally funny. When you can laulgh about the same things and be entertained throughout the whole movies, that's when you know you have a memorable and quality film. It's definately a classic. However, the remake was terrible and anyone who saw that before seeing the original would probably be discouraged from even giving the 1970's one a try. So if you haven't seen this movie, rent it this weekend!
For those that have, what are your thoughts?
Never saw the original. Seen the remake, which was a unholy sin. Puts me off to seeing the original, but maybe someday I'll get around to it.
And as for a quote...this is one of my all time favorite lines to say...so we'll see if anyone but pengin can get it
"Do it to it Lars."
First off Chachi, I have no idea what your blathering about with that "Lars" quote and I refuse to google it... so I'll leave it up to someone else to guess, haha.
Second, the original Out-of-Towners is actually a very good movie that you should go back and check out. Block out all memories of that dreadful remake.
Admittedly I am somewhat of a whore for Jack Lemmon and/or Walter Matthau films... but this one stands out from their back catalog.
Jack Lemmon all but invents the Woody Allen hypochrondriac character that he would make infamous a couple years later in Annie Hall... but Lemmon was here first, with his whistling teeth and all. This is the constantly put upon character. This is the 'it-can't-get-any-worse-until-it-does' character. And for some reason, his misery is absolutely hilarious.
I've watched this film a couple times and always enjoyed myself. Kelly's right that it has a rewatchableness that most movies don't. Most of all, it's a movie that you can put in at any time and enjoy. There aren't many films that work for every mood but this one does. It's a travesty what Goldie Hawn and Steve Martin did to it, but the original is definitely worth seeking out.
Thirdly, Chachi, have you not SEEN American Gangster yet? What are your thoughts?
Heavy Weights and chachi, you've given us an example of an unholy sin, but can you give an example of a holy sin? Is that possible? Is it chocolate? Or no--wait--is it David Beckham (a silent Beckham of course, no one wants to hear his girly voice)......? I need some spiritual guidence here.
Yeah someone got it. I loved this as a kid and say that line constantly.
As for some spiritual guidance, I should be the last one. Lets just say that I think of a holy sin as one that religion (and by religion I mean Jerry Falwell [good riddance!] and Pat Robertson) specifically makes note of such as your classics "don't steal," "don't covet" and "don't touch anyone with the same genitalia as yourself." But unholy sins are the ones even God forgot to mention not to do, ones so heinous that the Almighty himself/herself didn't think someone would have the "stones" to carry out. A sin that would scar for life not just the ones who carried it out, but also those who witnessed it. That is what the remake of "Out of Towners" was and is.
Hahahahahahaha! Praise Flying Spaghetti Monster! I have seen the light and I am HEALED!
Okay after over a month I finally saw American Gangster. This was one of my most anticipated films, but reviews put me off from seeing it right away plus I had a DVD screener copy that I could watch at home if I ever had the time for it. Well I saw it in theaters anyways and probably better for it.
The picture looks great. The acting all around was very good, but just like the title of a recent Denzel flick, there was a serious case of Deja Vu.
Your completely right Mulligan, this has been done before and to better results, but there is enough to recommend seeing it. Crowe is the man here. I was surprised that I found his Richie story more compelling than Frank Lucas. There was a very interesting dichotomy here. Frank loves his family, but breaks the law. Richie upholds the law, but has some serious family problems. Unfortunately, we don't get enough of either to really get all the facets of the character. Why is Richie a pig? Why did Frank ever leave N.Carolina in the first place? We don't understand motives for there actions always and it annoyed me.
Frank is played very uneven coming from such an accomplished actor. I think that is due to misdirection on Scott, who wants us to empathize with Lucas, but than he wants to remind us suddenly that he is a bad person by having him do extremely violent acts. Also Frank contradicts what he himself has said. He tells his brother Huey to keep a low profile because "the loudest guy in the room is the weakest," yet Frank goes and kills a fellow "Harlem landlord" in broad daylight in front a dozens of people. His actions maybe are supposed to be uneven as a way of showing his insanity, but we don't get enough of a spiral down to see that.
There is a lot more I could probably say, but let me just summarize by saying that it was definitely a solid film, but coming from this trio I expected much more.
Anyone else thought that some of the wigs were downright awful here?
Anyone else get as excited as I to see Armande Assante (aka Rico from Judge Dredd) back? No, I imagine I'm the only one.
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