So I saw the film American Gangster last night and I liked almost everything about it including the performances, the music and the fashion but my only complaint was the story itself. It seems weird for me to have liked the movie so much yet had issues with the story but it was not what was told that I had a problem with, it was what was left out. I felt like the movie was a slow build that disappointingly left out many, if not most of the details of Frank Lucas’ downfall. Also I found myself conflicted about Hollywood focusing on a black drug lord who was bigger than a thug or street pimp who actually built an empire with sound business practices to ensure success when they have so often have only presented the latter on screen. Although Frank Lucas was a criminal he still defied certain stereotypes in a lot of ways and as a black man I had to catch myself a few times from feeling a sense of pride toward a man who became more powerful than the mafia, who probably would refer to him as a “freekin’ moolie” or “moulinyan” at a time when the consensus was that we were somehow less intelligent than everyone else but still was a murderer who sold poison to his own people.

All in a all, if you want to see a great performance by arguably the greatest actor of his generation, Denzel Washington, then check this movie out. I still plan on buying it when it comes out on DVD and if you want a little more insight into Frank Lucas, check out this interesting New York Magazine article.

-A.R.

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