American Gangster (Blu-ray) R

There are two sides to the American dream
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Format:  Blu-ray
item number:  J6CW
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American Gangster for $8.10
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Blu-ray Details

  • Rated: R
  • Run Time: 2 hours, 38 minutes
  • Video: Color
  • Encoding: Region 1 (USA & Canada)
  • Released: October 14, 2008
  • Originally Released: 2007
  • Label: Universal Studios

Performers, Cast and Crew:

Starring &
Performer: , , , , , , , , , &
Directed by
Edited by
Screenwriting by
Composition by
Produced by &
Director of Photography:

Entertainment Reviews:

Certified Fresh80%

TOMATOMETER
Total Count: 214

Upright87%

AUDIENCE SCORE
User Ratings: 963,035
Rating: 2/5 -- Here's a startlingly original true-life story told in an oddly unoriginal way. And that attempt at instant classic status in the title doesn't quite convince. It's got no more dark grandeur than American Idol. Full Review
Guardian
Nov 16, 2007
Rating: 3/5 -- Though it's certainly admirable to aim high, it's like Frank Lucas himself says: "Either you're somebody, or you ain't nobody." Unfortunately for American Gangster, it ends up somewhere between the two. Full Review
TheShiznit.co.uk
Nov 3, 2012
5 stars out of 5 -- Scott brings his stylish shot composition and impeccable eye for detail to the streets of Seventies Harlem, melding his striking visuals with an enthralling story...
Ultimate DVD
Apr 1, 2008
Rating: 3.5/4 -- Something akin to a time warp, stepping back into a time of higher filmmaking integrity and more personal visions. Full Review
The Dispatch (Lexington, NC)
Jun 5, 2019
Rating: 4/5 -- One of the most intelligent gangster movies in years. Full Review
Sydney Morning Herald
Jan 4, 2008
Rating: B -- Scott's not interested in fireworks but small implosions of the soul and ego. Full Review
I.E. Weekly
Feb 3, 2008
Rating: 4/5 -- It's 157 minutes long, but immerses its audience with its twists and intricacies as it plays out and considers the logistics and consequences of crime and police corruption, with a plethora of show-stealing performances from the cast. Full Review
Digital Spy
Jul 14, 2011

Product Description:

British director Ridley Scott may not seem a logical choice for this truly American crime drama, but the filmmaker does an excellent job. The film is based on a true story and set in 1968 Harlem, where Frank Lucas (Denzel Washington) is a driver for Bumpy Johnson, one of the top figures in the city's criminal world. When Bumpy dies, Lucas swoops in, taking over his predecessor's empire and expanding it over the next few years with his sale of a particularly potent brand of heroin. Meanwhile, New Jersey cop Richie Roberts (Russell Crowe) begins to investigate the New York drug world and discovers that there's a new power in town.

Thanks to screenwriter Steve Zallian, as well as Washington and Crowe, AMERICAN GANGSTER creates a convincing portrait of two men who are neither entirely good nor entirely bad. Washington plays Lucas as a man who buys his mother a palatial home but doesn't hesitate to beat his brother's head against a window. Crowe's Roberts may turn in a million-dollar find, but he cheats on his wife. Sadly, they only meet onscreen toward the end of the film, but the minimal interaction between the two Oscar winners is fascinating. Even though the focus is on Lucas and Roberts, AMERICAN GANGSTER is filled with a wealth of strong characters played by talented actors. It seems everyone with a SAG card turns up for the film, including Chiwetel Ejiofor, Josh Brolin, Ted Levine, John Hawkes, Ruben Santiago-Hudson, Carla Gugino, Ruby Dee, Joe Morton, and rappers T.I. and RZA. It's an epic film, with a run time of over two and a half hours, but it's time well spent. Fans of classic crime films such as THE GODFATHER, SERPICO, and CARLITO'S WAY will certainly be pleased by this addition to the genre.

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Product Info

  • UPC: 025195045681
  • Shipping Weight: 0.25/lbs (approx)
  • International Shipping: 1 item

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