American Gangster Revisted: $46 Million and a Whole Lot of Approval

A few weeks ago, I proposed, prior to its release, that American Gangster would deliver as one of the best films of 2007 and a serious contender for the Best Picture Oscar at the March 2008 Academy Awards, based on a number of factors centering around the skill and reputation of director Ridley Scott, leading actors Denzel Washington and Russell Crowe, a supporting cast led by Cuba Gooding Jr., and writer Steven Zaillian. Following its November 2nd release, the critics’ reviews, Box Office results, and my own opinion all support the legitimacy of the film as one of the best of 2007. Determining the greatness of a given film, however, requires a sampling of public opinion, and while (as reflected by my last post, in Hollywood, profit is the bottom line) Box Office results for ticket sales ($46 million for opening weekend) indirectly reflect general success and public approval of American Gangster, examining blog reviews of the film provides a more personal and, perhaps, accurate sampling of the public response to it. Among these, the LIBERTAS and (RPGnet) [Matt’s Review] reviews of the film present interesting and very different perspectives from which they critique the new Universal Pictures masterpiece, yet their final assessment of the film’s quality was the same. The LIBERTAS entry, however, presents what I consider the more effective of the two arguments, based on clearly articulated elements of the film, while [Matt’s Review] tends to rely too much on a lengthy synopsis that contributes little to his argument.

LIBERTAS Review: American Gangster

This post is outstanding. Your critique of American Gangster is excellent, providing well-written and organized support for an absolutely sensational film. You present a fluid and evidence-based argument that flows so smoothly for the reader and makes such an effective statement that even the most ardent of the film’s detractors would have a hard time refuting the basis for your four-star rating.

In critiquing the film, you address many of the virtues while still anticipating a number of criticisms and countering them with well-stated responses. I particularly enjoyed reading your brief synopsis of the film and articulation of how the film balances the star appeal of its two lead actors, Washington and Crowe. Your synopsis was succinct and devoid of superfluous information and detail, and your analysis of how the two actors remain in character throughout the entirety of American Gangster sheds light on what might otherwise be an overlooked quality of the film, illuminating a key element of its greatness and reflecting the outstanding work of not only Washington and Crowe, but also Scott and Zaillian.

In addition, you further the effectiveness of your argument by pointing out and addressing underlying themes that director Ridley Scott embraces in his film, including the lyrics of “Across 110th Street” and thematic elements reflecting those in other films including Serpico, The French Connection, and The Godfather. American Gangster’s relationship to each respective film becomes clear through your articulation of the nature of the parallels, and through the resulting association, Scott’s film falls into elite company.

[Matt’s Review] American Gangster

Thank you for your post. In enjoyed reading it, and as a fan of both Ridley Scott and American Gangster, completely affirm your position that the film is a masterpiece and a must see for any moviegoer. I especially appreciated the way you both opened and closed your post, with punch-line comments regarding the unquestionable skill level of Scott as a director. I felt that this added some entertaining flair for the reader that considerably contributed to the overall effectiveness of the entry.

In addition, I liked how you made and supported your claim that Scott, instead of making the film distant to the viewer by simply making it set in the 70’s, effectively brings the decade to life, essentially immersing the audience in a past world that seems so real and modern for the duration of Gangster. I thought that establishing a relationship of superiority to another recent film of high acclaim set in the 1970’s (Steven Spielberg’s Munich received 5 Academy Award Nominations) to show Gangster’s incredible visual design was a very effective way to illustrate Scott’s mastery.

There were, however, a few elements of your post which I felt detracted from its overall effectiveness. Perhaps the most glaring of these was the synopsis, which I felt to be superfluous in nature and somewhat ironic as the main body of your post, considering your immediately preceding advice that the reader refrain from “Googling” Frank Lucas’ story (presumably because it would give the movie away). While your synopsis does not give away the final twist of the film, it gets slightly monotonous at times, and reveals a bit too much of the plot progression to a potential viewer, essentially stealing some of the film’s thunder. I feel that your post would be far more effective if the synopsis were shortened to some establishing notes on the main characters and early plot points that would encourage the reader’s curiosity and desire to see the film, as opposed to giving away almost everything with the exception of the ending.