NEWS
EVENTS
"Twice as strong for half the price."
Other | Tuesday 12th June 2012 | Osh
Blue Magic. It sounds like the name of a badly marketed condom. But this was nothing to do with sex or protection against STIs; it was about power. Wealth. And a man named Frank Lucas., who managed to take control of Harlem. Based on a true story, American Gangster, as a film, discovers a new meaning to the word,” legend”. In the life of a gangster, Frank Lucas found solace. He simply had it all.
An unlikely acting combination, the two stars, Denzel Washington and Russell Crowe have actually done what was thought impossible. To get two acting heavyweights and have them both emerge as a winner at the end of the production is a daunting task, and Ridley Scott has produced excellent results. The story of Frank Lucas is a brutal nerve-rackingly gritty one and Washington is the actor with enough wisdom and panache to pull off such a feat. He mixes a cool collecting persona with a relentless streak for results, whilst Crowe’s portrayal of the man seeking justice, Richie Roberts, is at times amusing but emotional when you see the lengths he will go to get his man.
The film starts with Lucas a lowly henchman, to the charismatic Bumpy who unfortunately kicks the bucket quite early on. (Boo-hoo!) Then Lucas begins to rise through the ranks, becoming the kingpin of Harlem. But his ascent is not completely ruthless; he still pledges to include his family suggesting a smoother and loving interior. The film’s events are never boring or uneventful; Lucas journey is such that you wish you were in such a position.
Coupled with an albeit sombre soundtrack, American Gangster’s ending is fitting to its main characters. Lucas’ fate is deserved, but you cannot help it; he’s too cool a guy. His business acumen would wow Donald Trump; his people skills even more so. Essentially, American Gangster is one of those films that need to be watched; Scott has made sure of that.
Charles Duntoye
