American Gangster

A more modern portrayal of the nearly two decade old "New Jack City", "American Gangster" bases itself on a true story about a notorious criminal who is dead set on rising to the top, taking wealth and blasting anyone who dares stand in his way. On the other end, a detective desperately hunts him down in hopes of clearing the streets of his presence and in the long run wiping out a large sum of the crime taking place within his city.

Two of Hollywood's hottest actors headline the flick those being Denzel Washington and Russell Crowe who have certainly made a lasting impression on the industry over the years. Throw in two highly respected and not to mention dedicated artists, Ridley Scott and Steven Zaillian and "American Gangster" is all but certain to succeed.

The fact that the picture is based on true events is irrelevant due to the countless genre based films with similar presentations. Nevertheless, "American Gangster" pits the crime sub genre at a whole new level, breathing new life into the tired category we've become relentless of over the years with the exception of a few pictures, most notably last year's "The Departed" which ended up snagging the Academy Award for best picture before its run was over.

From the exposition, "American Gangster" establishes a solid foundation, carefully constructing itself into a tremendous work of art come the brilliant yet simple final minutes that truly makes us remember why we watch movies.

With such a simple and undeniably overused concept, "American Gangster", like many Oscar worthy pictures, relies heavily on its characters and its compelling screenplay rather than the idea in itself. In the long run, it proves just how far both dedication and determination can go. A cleverly constructed motion picture, "American Gangster" really pinpoints its realistic elements and provides encouragement to its audience to make a difference in our crumbling society. A wonderful motion picture that will be remembered in the years to come.