One Paragraph Review: American Gangster

Take the money-making montages from "Scarface," the duality of depicting the cops and gangsters from "King of New York," and the drugs & random hot Latin girl from "Blow" and what you have is American Gangster. I couldn't help but feel that this movie falls short of being in the category of the movies from which it clearly drew inspiration, despite the interesting plot, competent writing and solid performances frmo Denzel & Russel Crowe. Though lacking the emotional weight of "Donnie Brasco," the sweeping brilliance and intimacy of "The Godfather"or the mayhem and violence of "Scarface," "American Gangster" is a solid crime flick that is definitely worth your time.

One Paragraph Review: American Gangster

As American as apple pie, baseball and a burlesque show is the good gangster flick. Frankly, cinema isn't much worth it unless there's a big crime drama centered around the good guys and the bad guys. Except you usually like the bad guys more than the good guys. But you know the good guys have to do the job they have to do. Of course, the bad guys have to fall because we all know crime doesn't pay. This is all a roundabout way of saying that American Gangster totally lived up to the franchise of the American crime drama. It was pretty awesome. And just to remind you of that they put American in the title.