homeWelcome, sign in or click here to subscribe.login
     


 

 

Weekend





Subscriber content preview

November 2, 2007

At the Movies: Mobster epic familiar but well executed

By CHRISTY LEMIRE
AP Movie Critic

So perhaps “American Gangster,” Ridley Scott's much-anticipated mobster epic, doesn't have a single original idea in its head, with its unshakable shades of “Scarface” and “Serpico” and “Superfly.” And maybe it's a half-hour too long — this time of year, what film with awards ambitions isn't?

AMERICAN GANGSTER

Director: Ridley Scott

Cast: Denzel Washington, Russell Crowe, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Cuba Gooding Jr., Josh Brolin

Rating: R for violence, pervasive drug content and language, nudity and sexuality

Running time: 157 minutes
But it's exceptionally crafted and superbly acted, with the on-screen combo of Denzel Washington and Russell Crowe unsurprisingly proving impossible to resist, even though it takes about two hours for their paths to cross.


 
. . .


To read this story in full login or purchase a subscription.



Previous columns:



Email or user name:
Password:
 
Forgot password? Click here.