American Gangster

An excellent, atmospheric gangster movie. Perfect directing from Ridley Scott, excellent acting performances from Denzel Washington and Russell Crowe is further enhanced by an excellent screenplay. And Josh Brolin made a really good impression on me; he’s appearing in better and better roles these days. (03/05/2008)

It's been a couple of months since the release in cinemas and I still can't quite grasp the genius of this opus. Right after the premiere, I got carried away by the enthusiastic applause for the result, but over time, all that remained in my head was the traditionally stunning Crowe (unlike Washington, who must always play at full capacity, Denzel has a role written in such a way that he comes out as a king in any case) and Scott's precise direction, without which the film would collapse several floors down. However, I also have a problem with him not offering me a scene that would go down in history, and if I don't have to aim so high, at least something smaller like a stylish shootout. But that is missing and paradoxically, one of Zaillian's most proclaimed scripts is to blame for that. The lack of black and white between the two main characters, which causes the absence of a villain. The evil gaze is involuntarily directed at the generalized group of "corrupt cops", and despite apparent objectivity, Scott takes us where he wants us to be, and I have to be a little disappointed because this is not how I imagined Ridley's pivotal work in his career at all. I understand the global acclaim, but despite many positives, I'm not joining in. (01/10/2008)

It’s probably true, Ridley Scott, is getting better the older he gets. He’s directing even stronger stories than in the past, but just as visually brilliant, and the actors in them play fantastically – better than ever before. One would expect that at his age he would only enjoy making movies and shoot easygoing films like A Good Year, but that's not the case. Scott is fiercely pursuing success, he’s still as enthusiastic about filmmaking as before, and thanks to this spirit, he was able to make a thrilling and intense film like American Gangster. Fantastic in terms of acting (Denzel Washington is magnificent), visually brilliant (cinematography, editing) and in terms of the production design and complex depiction of the 1970s in the American metropolis, it is hard to beat. It’s not a better film than Goodfellas (slower pace), but in the current times of garbage in the sewage, it is a clean, winding and proud bandage on the cinematography of commercial Hollywood. After the second and third screening, one of the best gangster movies ever. Better, more compact and with a bigger heart than Goodfellas. Josh Brolin is awesome and so is Washington. (02/03/2008)

Under the impression of high ratings and knowing that it is one of the most praised films of last year, I expected an exceptional experience, which did not happen; however, it does not mean that it is a bad movie. But there have been many gangster films made in the United States, and Scott's film is not among the very best. My favorites remain the older films by Scorsese and Coppola. Ridley Scott adds racial issues and the Vietnam war trauma to the classic gangster theme. In the first half, the film starts at a slow pace, and Russell Crowe seemed rather unremarkable to me. Most scenes felt like I had seen them somewhere before and they could have been directed a bit more atmospherically. However, it is a big-budget film, skillfully edited, with excellent music and good actors. Overall impression: 75%. (02/10/2008)

While most famous directors in this age are making films solely for their own entertainment, Ridley Scott comes up with a work of such incredible awareness and craft that it’s essentially unbelievable. Two and a half hours of the essence of scorching filmmaking that will sweep you away with its unique ode to the time period, perfectly written and superbly acted parts, and, last but not least, the naturalistic violence that a proper gangster cannot do without. Scott extracts the essentials from Scorsese, De Palma, and Mann, but remains incredibly his own, i.e., a self-assured filmmaker with a unique authorial imprint that will be indelibly etched in the viewer's mind forever. There is no point in sparing superlatives here. Believe me, they’ll get Oscars for editing, cinematography, and directing! Edit: The absence (albeit!) of nominations in these categories is the American Film Academy’s greatest crime since the beginning of the new century! Shove the Oscars up your ass! (11/02/2007)