Needs a fix

After much anticipation, I finally got a chance to see American Gangster this week at the budget theater. Perhaps I built the film up too much in my mind, however, because I came away feeling slightly disappointed.

It should be said upfront that Denzel Washington and Russell Crowe give excellent performances. Denzel, playing notorious Harlem gangster Frank Lucas, proves once again that he can play good guy or bad guy equally well. And while not his best performance (he was better in his other film from 2007, 3:10 to Yuma) Russell Crowe does a fine job playing "boy scout" cop, Richie Roberts.

And while each give good performances, their stars truly shine in the moments where they share scenes. Unfortunately there are very few of them here. Now I had known going in that these two had didn't have much screen time together, but I didn't realize how little it actually would be. Perhaps it was just more noticeable because the scenes involving them seperatly were at times slow and uninteresting.

The film spends way too much time chronicling their individual lives. I understand the need to provide backstory, but it took too long to even get to the point where Roberts starts to investigate Lucas. And while Lucas rise in the drug and mafia communities is remarkable, the film displays it in a way that we've seen countless times before in other mob films.

I think a lot of the blame here falls on director Ridley Scott and screenwriter Steve Zallian's shoulders. Zallian's script fails to provide enough consistent action or tension to help the film moving and Scott does not provide enough directional style to make the biographical aspects of the film captivating.

As slow as the first portion of the film is, it really sparkles by the time Lucas and Roberts actually intersect. I absolutely love the scene where Roberts meets Lucas outside of the church as 'Amazing Grace' is played. I know the film has been heavily criticized for the liberties it took with Lucas' actual life story. I don't know for sure, but I would imagine that that church scene is an example of that, but it doesn't matter because scenes like that show the potential of what this film could have truly been.

The last section of the film deals with Lucas' court case and the subsequent deal he made in helping take down a number of corrupt cops and drug dealers. All of that is really excellent and was disappointed when the credits began to roll a short time later. To me, the focus should have been on this aspect of Lucas' life. Watching the corrupt turn on the corrupt and seeing what possesses someone to suddenly rat out his associates is more interesting than watching someone be a real life Tony Montana.

I would be remiss if I didn't point out two additional superb acting performances in the film. Josh Brolin (who can also be currently seen in Best Picture nominee, No Country for Old Men) does a really good job as a corrupt New York cop who just exudes the essence of an asshole. Also, Ruby Dee is wonderful as Lucas' mother. Clearly, others agree as she was nominated for an Oscar for this role. It was shocking to see, though, how little screentime she has. However, she's so great in every scene that she's in that I still think the nomination is deserved.

It is just a shame to see all of this acting talent go to waste as a result of poor direction. Until the final half hour there are only glimmers of excellence. With each moment, you keep hoping that it will sustain; but alas, they remain only fleeting. I think the acting performance are strong enough and the basic story interesting enough to warrant a recommendation. And while it takes a long time to get there, the payoff in the end is solid. I guess my warning would be that if you do see it, make sure you're in the right mood to do so. Like the Blue Magic cocaine that Frank Lucas deals in the film, the film will give you some highs, but they are only fleeting. Grade: B