Eye Candy #172 - "American Gangster"

American Gangster: The African-American answer to "The Godfather" and the story of Frank Lucas (Denzel Washington), real-life criminal overlord and the inspiration for "Superfly" in the blaxploitation movie of the same name. Opposite of Lucas is Richie Roberts (Russell Crowe), a New Jersey police detective tasked with determining where the influx of heroin in New Jersey is coming from. Lucas' story is almost too fantastic to be believed - he made his fortune by smuggling heroin back in the caskets of US servicemen killed in Vietnam, forging relationships with the heroin makers themselves in the Golden Triangle. He cut out the mob, was ruthless with his competitors, and came up in the business at the right hand of Black underworld legend Bumpy Johnson. He employed somewhere in the neighborhood of 30 of his own family members in various positions of his organization. He was the Black godfather of Harlem and New York City in general. Crowe and Washington are just great in their respective roles, humanizing both individuals beyond cutouts and idealized portraits. Ridley Scott delivers another solid film. Only problem - overlength. The extended cut runs 2 hours, 50 minutes. Any movie that long has a hard time sustaining interest and energy.