American Gangster, the 2007 biographical crime drama inspired by the true story of convicted drug trafficker Frank Lucas, airs tonight on Film4 at 9.10pm. The film, directed by Ridley Scott, follows Lucas's rise as a drug lord who smuggled heroin into the United States on aircraft during the Vietnam War.
A Tale of Crime and Consequence
The film chronicles Lucas's early days in the heroin business, where he purchased directly from suppliers in Thailand and trafficked the drugs into America via Vietnam War servicemen returning home. As he becomes Harlem's foremost crime boss, he establishes legitimate enterprises as covers while keeping a modest profile and cultivating friendships with politicians and celebrities.
Police eventually identify and intercept one of the final aircraft transporting Lucas's supply, leading to his arrest. At trial, he names a string of corrupt officers in exchange for a more lenient sentence, resulting in three-quarters of the New York DEA and numerous NYPD officers facing conviction.
Star-Studded Cast and Critical Praise
Denzel Washington portrays Lucas, with Russell Crowe as Richie Roberts, who spearheaded the criminal investigation. The cast also includes Josh Brolin, Idris Elba, Carla Gugino and Norman Reedus. Ruby Dee's portrayal of Lucas's mother earned her a nomination for Best Supporting Actress at that year's Oscars.
One admirer shared on IMDb: "Denzel Washington delivers a marvellous performance of a man calm and patient yet heart-stopping ferocious at some points, fearless and ambitious but likable as always. His performances are always incredible, he's a great actor, the greatest Afro-American actor of all time I dare to say, it's simply a pleasure to watch him in any role."
Legacy and Reception
The film was nominated for 21 awards. Another review states: "The film leaves you wanting to know more about about happened to the lead characters. You care about them that much. Now *that's* film making." A further viewer commented: "The film is not only entertaining; its portrayal is authentic to the real life grizzly and sometimes grayed world of crime/justice as well as didactic and amazingly...uplifting. What a nice surprise."
One fan summed up: "A great story, a great director, and a great actor came together, and ultimately made a good movie. With all of these ingredients, it would be hard to fail, and they certainly didn't fail." Lucas himself claimed that only minor elements of the film were accurate, with much of it invented for 'dramatic effect'. He died in 2019 at the age of 88.
