Friday, November 02, 2007

American Gangster, the Movie

American Gangster, the Movie
Denzel Washington, Russell Crowe, Directed by Ridley Scott

How about Black American Gangster? Why is it when Denzel Washington plays a decent hard-working black man, the Oscar goes to someone else? You can bet there’s Oscar talk for his role as Frank Lucas, notorious drug pusher.  In fact, some are hoping for a run-off between Washington and Crowe, who plays cop-turned-lawyer, Richie Roberts.

Recently, Hollywood has begun to mine the black criminal history archives for a new look at some old stereotypes. Harlem was the stomping ground for drug users and drug pushers during it’s declining years.  Always pre-occupied with guns and violence, America needed some new meat, hence Mr. Untouchable the story of the 70’s flamboyant heroin dealer Nicky Barnes.

And then theres Harlem bad man Ellsworth “Bumpy” Johnson, who makes a brief appearance, played by none other than Clarence Williams III.  “Bumpy” Johnson has been portrayed in at least three other Harlem drug movies since the seventies (Shaft, The Cotton Club and Hoodlum) and will probably continue to show up in future films.

The real Frank Lucas story is incredible, a man who would smuggle heroin into the country in the coffins of dead soldiers. It takes a special sort of calculating, souless person to do that, while at the same time, escorting his mother to church every Sunday morning.  American Gangster is visually satisfying, but not brilliantly so. The film footage adds a dose of reality to the film--soldiers nodding out on dope; dancers and young American soldiers in Taiwanese night clubs; cargo planes carrying coffins of dead soldiers and heroin--all lend to the seediness of the Lucas era.

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The soundtrack is adequate, most notable is Track 1 ”Do You Feel Me?” sung by Anthony Hamilton in a cameo appearance. For more on the music of American Gangster

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American Gangster is mostly flat and not very exciting. Washington transforms Frank Lucas into an intense and brooding Denzel Washington. The swagger is all Denzel; the compressed lip action is all Denzel; and there is nothing at all that says Frank Lucas.  This is Denzel in Training Day 2.  Scott trotted out some of the most notable names in black cinema, only to assign them cameo appearances.

Chiwetel Ejiofor’s acting skill is wasted as Lucas’ brother slash assistant, Huey. Most of the characters are one-dimensional and paper thin.  Why cast Ruby Dee as the mother, who only has a scene or two along the way.  Cuba Gooding, Jr. is an afterthought as Nicky Barnes and who knows what Armand Assante’s character Dominic is talking about?

So now we have The Rza on the big screen as Moses Jones. And let’s not forget Russell Crowe as Richie Roberts, the guy who nabs Frank Lucas.  Crowe has no fire and or physical presence.  His character was benign, not entirely likable, nor disagreeable.  With Lucas’ help, he takes down the dirty cops and becomes Lucas’ defense attorney.  How bizzare is that?

It feels like that ‘ole blaxploitation is on the rise.  They could have saved some money by re-releasing Serpico.

Posted by Dorothy Ferebee on 11/02 at 06:00 AM
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