American Gangster (1 Viewer)

[Evilo]

I would recomment I Am Leged first

no way! and learn to spell.

 

[spiny norman]

great movie, although i didnt realise denzel was the villain till bout halfway thru the movie!!

...Even after he set the guy alight in the first scene of the film?

Anyway, this was good. I've heard some complain about Russell Crowe's part in it, but I was glad for it, as I think he stopped it from being a traditional rise-and-fall gangster film. Plus I prefer him as an actor to Denzel Washington.

Why, though, did Ridley Scott decide all his films from here on were going to be epic-length action movies? I mean, I enjoyed this, and a couple of his other recent films were good, but what happened to the guy who made The Duellists and Alien and Blade Runner?

 

[icecreamdisco]

eww, you like russ more than denzel, norm?

anyway, i didn't like this much at the time, although i had a bad migraine while watching it so i gave it a passive viewing. has grown on me since.

ridley scott's direction was kinda lazy and tv-ish; would've been soooo much better if scorsese or spike lee did this, though i 'spose the former's exhausted this territory. loved the final shot, though!

also, carla gugino is sooo hot, nobody else i know seems to agree w/ me.

short paragraphs!

3 out of 5

 

[spiny norman]

eww, you like russ more than denzel, norm?

Yeah, I've never thought Denzel to be anything special, and thought some of his scenes in this (like when he began shouting about Josh Brolin breaking into his house) was some of the finest overacting I've seen in a cinema since Bill Nighy in Notes on a Scandal. There's a few times I've liked him, mostly before he won his second Oscar (and man, was Training Day a piece of shit). As for Russell Crowe, I think him being a cunt of an individual makes people dislike him as an actor moreso than he deserves. I haven't really seen him give a poor performance since he really became an international star with LA Confidential (I admit, I've missed Mystery Alaska, though).

I agree with Scott's direction being not really one of a guy who's been around for 30 years with a few universally acclaimed classics in there. The stakeout at the end, for example, should've been something great in its tension, but just became confusing and muddled.

I liked Ruby Dee, also, and am glad she's got an Oscar nom. That might just be some bias at seeing her still alive, but she put some effort into a role that could've easily been turned into a cliche.

 

[icecreamdisco]

oh, i like crowe in pretty much everything until the insider, everything i've seen him in since i just think he's boring... however, i do think ag is his best role in a while probably because i feel he's better playing it laidback more than grandstanding.

i like that josh brolin is getting heaps of roles recently, hollywood needs more manly men.

might as well post the oscar noms now...

 

[poWerdrY]

i read somewhere that richie roberts took most of the credit, while the 3 guys in his team that did most of the work were basically never mentioned by him in the interviews after the real life events. well thats hollywood i guess, simply taking the story of the figurehead and overexaggerating and underrating (i think ive used the wrong word here ) things.

 

[hiphophooray123]

russel crowe lost all respect by making bra boys

 

[hiphophooray123]

eww, you like russ more than denzel, norm?

anyway, i didn't like this much at the time, although i had a bad migraine while watching it so i gave it a passive viewing. has grown on me since.

ridley scott's direction was kinda lazy and tv-ish; would've been soooo much better if scorsese or spike lee did this, though i 'spose the former's exhausted this territory. loved the final shot, though!

also, carla gugino is sooo hot, nobody else i know seems to agree w/ me.

short paragraphs!

3 out of 5

she is fkn hot

 

[goony]

Finally caught this last night, very impressed. Best flick i've seen this summer so far (i've still gotta see sweeney todd however).

 

[tommykins]

Denzel's performance as a gangster/villain never ceases to amaze me, pulls it off so well.

Crowe is boring as always.

Great movie, took a while to get used to the plot but it was great.

 

[inasero]

i don't think he overacts at all- he had a damn fine performance and really confirmed his ability to play the part of the villain following "training day"- i like his naturalness and confidence- and judging by an interview he gave with Oprah it's his natural charisma which allows him to easily slip into his on-screen roles.