| Ridley Scott's stylish visual recreation of the late | | | | the protection of the Mafia, and deliberate |
| 1960's early 1970's Harlem almost threatens to | | | | measures taken to preserve a low profile, Lucas's |
| overshadow the story of American Gangster. | | | | rise to success is swift and profitable, netting |
| Based on true events, the unbelievable story | | | | over a million dollars a day at the peak of his |
| parallels the rise to success of Harlem Heroin | | | | career. |
| Kingpin, Frank Lucas (Denzel Washington), and the | | | | Detective Ritchie Richards shares Lucas's |
| man who eventually brings him down, New York | | | | paradoxical ethics. With little regard for any |
| Detective, Ritchie Roberts (Russell Crowe). Both | | | | responsibility where his wife and child are |
| actors in stunning performances slide into their | | | | concerned, Richards is as steadfast as the Harlem |
| characters skin with convincing ease. The Vietnam | | | | gangster in his idealistic views of what is right and |
| War and widespread NY police corruption are so | | | | wrong. Ridiculed and shunned by his corrupt peers |
| important to the story that, by circumstance, are | | | | after discovering, and turning in a million dollars |
| like living breathing characters in the film. | | | | found in the trunk of a car while working a case, |
| The violent Frank Lucas carries out his business | | | | Richards's remains steadfast in his convictions. The |
| of violence with calculated chilling calm. He is as | | | | pursuit and eventual take down of the heroin |
| ruthless with his enemies, as he is loving with his | | | | kingpin is brilliant, calculated and violent. Richards |
| family. He sees no paradox within himself; he is | | | | carries out the business of bringing the kingpin to |
| confident and views himself to be as ethical as | | | | his knees much like Frank Lucas himself would. |
| they come. His rise to success begins after the | | | | In my favorite scene from the film, both |
| death of his mentor, and a brilliant business plan. | | | | characters sit for a conversation, where a deal is |
| Armed with the knowledge of the rising drug use | | | | made. Lucas turns informant when Richards points |
| among American soldiers fighting in the war, | | | | out that he no longer has the support of the |
| Lucas travels to Vietnam. Setting up his own drug | | | | Mafia. The Mafia is no better prepared than |
| connection, therefore, allowing him to cut out the | | | | society is to accept the progression that would |
| middleman. Taking his exploitation of the war one | | | | follow should Lucas be allowed to remain in a |
| step further, he manages to have large quantities | | | | position of power and wealth. Denzel Washington's |
| of pure grade heroin transported into the country | | | | performance here is brilliant. A brief visible faltering |
| by means of caskets carrying the bodies of dead | | | | of his characters confidence as he recognizes this |
| soldiers - aboard American service planes. Under | | | | powerful truth. |