The Rocket

Issue date: 11/9/07 Section: Focus

Media Credit: MCT Campus Denzel Washington (left) and Russell Crowe star in the drug-based movie, "American Gangster," directed by Ridley Scott. [Click to enlarge]

In order to have a successful chess match, a player needs to keep all of the important pieces. And when those pieces are maneuvered to perfection, the game can be a smart and rewarding experience.

The same can be said for the recently released 1960s drug drama, "American Gangster."

The film includes all of the key pieces. There are two kings in Academy Award-winners Denzel Washington ("Training Day") and Russell Crowe ("Gladiator"), powerful rooks like Academy Award-winner Cuba Gooding Jr. ("Jerry Maguire"), solid bishops like the classic Armand Assante ("Gotti") and the chilling Josh Brolin ("Planet Terror") and a gang of promising young knights like the charming Chiwetel Ejiofor ("Love Actually") and rappers like Common ("Smokin' Aces") and RZA ("Derailed").

Maneuvering the pieces is jack-of-all-trades director Ridley Scott.

The randomness of Scott's résumé travels through many different genres covering a lot of different material, but almost every movie he directs is something special.

Scott shows his directing chops with material ranging from girl-power films like "G.I. Jane" and "Thelma and Louise" to innovative sci-fi classics like "Alien" and "Blade Runner."

"American Gangster" is no different than Scott's past successes, and the film even reunites Scott and Crowe, who proved to be an Oscar-winning combination in 2000's "Gladiator."

Watching "Gangster" is like watching a match between two chess masters.

All of the actors work brilliantly together in a film in which the line between good and evil is very blurred.

Scott moves piece after piece into place, sending the audience's brain into a back-and-forth battle between the two sides.

On the good side is Richie Roberts (Crowe), a womanizing, borderline-alcoholic cop who might be shady in his family life but holds the most honor of anyone in his precinct.

The bad side is represented by drug dealer Frank Lucas (Washington), who monopolizes the drug market by having pure heroin shipped from Vietnam in fallen American soldiers' coffins.

One minute you want to root for Roberts as he finds million dollars of drug money in an abandoned car and nobly turns it in when others on his force would not. But then he neglects his son from his failed marriage and sleeps with a different woman every night.

The same goes for Lucas. Images of strung-out junkies will fill your heart with anger, but stories of Lucas' troubled past of racial oppression and dirty cops will instill sympathy in your heart.

Unlike Crowe's past tough-guy characters, Roberts is a bumbling, stumbling everyman that doesn't know what side he is on half the time.

Crowe shows he's more than a meat-headed Aussie and pulls off another stereotype-breaking performance, much like he did in "A Beautiful Mind."

Washington is always so good, and the character of Lucas gives him an opportunity to give a fierce and unforgiving performance much like the one that won him an Oscar for "Training Day."

All of the fine details are there too. The soundtrack of classy late-1960s tunes compliments Scott's gritty vision of the drug-cultured streets of the time.

Plus, where it would be easy to throw any actor into small, important roles like Lucas's rival drug dealers, Scott and company grabs up talents like Assante and Gooding Jr.

From beginning to end, the lengthy "Gangster" is just plain good.

Several of the film's key players are already associated with little gold men, so don't be surprised if the Oscar buzz for the coming awards doesn't start with "Gangster."

"American Gangster" has all of the important pieces in place, and the audience is sure to win playing the mental chess match the film presents. Checkmate.

Ivan Moore is a senior communication major and a regular contributor to The Rocket.

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