'American Gangster' kicks off Oscar season

By Howie Nave

Oh, man, is it that time already? The studios are gearing up with their Oscar contenders, so expect some of the really good stuff between now and the end of the year.

With "American Gangster," director Ridley Scott has fashioned together a movie that, at its core, is a movie about seizing an opportunity, albeit an illegal one, filling a niche with lots of greed. The cast is superb, with several Oscar winners leading the pack.

Based on the real-life drug kingpin Frank Lucas during the late 1970s, "American Gangster" is a mob movie and, as such, has its own moral code that its "family" lives by. Each ethnic group had its own code, be it the new immigrants now known as Italian-Americans, Irish-Americans or, in this case, African-Americans.

In the original "The Godfather" (1972), Don Vito Corleone (Marlon Brando) swore to never get involved in the drug trade, even though it was fast becoming the profitable way to go since the booze trade from the Depression-era days had become legal. Prostitution and gambling were profitable until it seemed like everyone wanted a slice of the pie, so the next step was the illicit drug trade. What Lucas did was streamline the drug trade direct from the rice paddies of Southeast Asia to the streets of Harlem.

Denzel Washington plays Frank Lucas with such conviction that it seems possible he could get another Oscar nomination for Best Actor in a Leading Role. Lucas here is driven to succeeed, so much that he almost always insists on doing the job himself, believing no one else can get it right the first time. As a man raised from poverty in North Carolina, he symbolizes the potential of that American Dream, even if it's a twisted dream.

Like Al Pacino from "Scarface" (1983), even an uneducated person can learn from the streets quickly, dodging bullets, rising to the top, but always looking over your shoulder for the next guy wanting to take your place. We're supposed to believe that Lucas is the bad guy, for lack of a better definition, but then what passes as good guys also are manipulated into the illegal trade of drugs. Why? Anytime there's the potential to make huge amounts of money in a little time, the lure is insatiable.

Enter Russell Crowe as Ritchie Roberts, a tough New Jersey cop who makes it his personal mission to bring Lucas down. With his own personal life virtually in shambles, the only aspect of his life that he has any control over is bringing Lucas to justice. Director Scott juxtaposes the two, showing us that even though Lucas' business was illegal and deadly, he still had this incredible respect for values compared with those of the police and prosecutors, including Roberts, who is portrayed here as a man who is constantly chasing the skirts.

What becomes fascinating is that the two actually will rely on one another toward the end of the movie. There are elements here that reminded me of several excellent gangster-related flicks, such as Martin Scorsese's "Goodfellas" (1990) and HBO's "The Sopranos." Like other epic mob movies, this, too, is pretty lengthy, so be prepared for a long screening, but believe it or not, it doesn't feel that long, which is a testament not just to the editing, but also the great storyline that will keep you captivated throughout.

"American Gangster" is filled with excellent cameos and an incredible script thanks to Steven Zaillian, who also wrote "Schindler's List" and wrote and directed "All the King's Men." His script is based on the 2000 New York magazine article by Mark Jacobson ("The Return of Superfly") that would become the core for the movie. In that original piece, Jacobson interviewed Frank Lucas, so the attention to detail here is remarkable. Expect similar nominations in the writing/screenplay area as well come Oscar time.

-- Howie Nave is host/manager of The Improv comedy club inside Harveys and reviews films for seven radio stations throughout Northern California and Nevada, including Sirius Radio. He hosts "Howie's Morning Rush" on Tahoe's KRLT radio, and you can see his film reviews on RSN.



Keepin' it reel:

Now Playing: "American Gangster"

Starring: Denzel Washington, Russell Crowe, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Josh Brolin, Lymari Nadal, Ted Levine, Roger Guenveur Smith, John Hawkes, RZA, Yul Vazquez, Malcolm Goodwin, Ruby Dee, Ruben Santiago-Hudson, Carla Gugino, Skyler Fortgang, John Ortiz, Cuba Gooding Jr. and Armand Assante

Directed by: Ridley Scott

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

Running Time: 158 minutes

Howie gives it: 4.5 out of 5 bagels