IS American Gangster a classic film?

MartyMcFly

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For sure. If they had done a thing where Nicky represented unwitting participation in capitalism that traps you in an underclass and Frank represented using capitalism to break free of the oppression it (and lots of other things) creates for african americans we could have a classic movie.

I don’t even think it’s the focus that stops it from being a classic. I think it’s ridley’s direction. It’s good but it feels sort of lifeless and the energy wanes. There are moments when it’s on point and other moments when it’s :snooze:
 

boskey

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I loved it when I saw it in theaters, especially Josh Brolin's character. But I saw it again about a month a go and it was just meh. It looks great, its a "big" movie that covers a lot of ground between Harlem, and Vietnam...but plotwise theres not enough there. Russell Crowe's character isn't bad IMO but it kinda feels like "good cop vs. the NYPD" is a different movie...

And the ending when he becomes an enthusiastic snitch working side by side with the prosecution is just weird...
 

get these nets

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I have a Krik?.......Krak story about the real life people for y'all

american-gangster-russell-crowe.jpg


KRIK?
American-Gangster-Ple-NH.jpg


JANUARY 18,2018

Richard "Richie" Roberts, the former Essex County assistant prosecutor who helped convict Harlem drug kingpin Frank Lucas of drug-trafficking crimes, was sentenced to three years' probation Thursday after pleading guilty to federal tax crimes, prosecutors announced.

His sentence will include 10 months of home confinement, U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito said in a statement. Roberts' attorney did not immediately respond to a request for comment Thursday afternoon.

Roberts, 80, of Bloomfield, pleaded guilty in April before U.S. District Judge Esther Salas in Newark to failing to pay his personal income taxes and to pay the employer's portion of federal payroll taxes for his law firm.

As an Essex County detective and later assistant prosecutor, Roberts helped obtain an indictment against Lucas -- a notorious Harlem heroin dealer -- for crimes in New Jersey. Lucas was ultimately convicted and sentenced to 70 years in prison, but became a government informant and was released early.

The one-time prosecutor later became friends with Lucas, and represented him in court after prosecutors charged Lucas with trying to deceive the U.S. Treasury of $17,345 in Social Security checks meant for his son. Lucas was sentenced to probation in that case.

Roberts' investigation of Lucas was later memorialized in the 2007 film "American Gangster," with Roberts portrayed by Russell Crowe. Lucas was played by Denzel Washington.

Roberts, whose law license has been suspended, is currently facing charges in state Superior Court under an indictment obtained by the state Attorney General's Office, which has accused Roberts and his former law partner, Gerald Saluti, of misusing more than $140,000 in client funds.

Federal prosecutors said Roberts had not paid personal income taxes since at least 2000. In addition to the term of probation, Salas sentenced him to 100 hours of community service and ordered him to pay $224,962 in restitution, the U.S. Attorney's Office said.
 

Bruce LeRoy

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Nope. It was ruined by the writers expanding the Richie Roberts storyline to give Russel Crow a meatier role...which turned the movie into Heat 2.0. Richie Roberts shouldn't have even entered the movie until the last act IMO..
 

Kid Dynamite

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Hell no and all the problems with the film have already been said
 

Bruce LeRoy

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The Ritchie Roberts storyline should not have been in the movie until the last part of the movie. They cut out large parts of Franks story from the script because Russell Crowe wouldn't do the movie unless he had equal screen time. The original screenplay Tru Blu was more in tune with Once Upon A Time In America but they turned it into Heat 2.0 in the 70's.... I beleive Denzel and Benicio Del Toro were originally supposed to be in it with Antonio Fuqua directing.
 
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