American Gangster (2007)
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A high-stakes game of cat and mouse unfolds between a ruthless drug kingpin and a determined detective in the 1970s.
The story
In 1968, Frank Lucas becomes the right-hand man of a Harlem mob boss. Following the boss's death, Lucas enters the heroin trade, establishing a lucrative distribution network by sourcing directly from Thailand and utilizing returning Vietnam War servicemen as couriers. His brand, "Blue Magic," quickly dominates the market. Meanwhile, Newark Detective Richie Roberts, an aspiring lawyer, is assigned to a special task force targeting major drug suppliers after his partner overdoses. As Lucas expands his empire and gains influence in the New York Tri-State Area, Roberts begins a focused investigation into the man behind the growing heroin trade.
Full plot (contains spoilers)
Following the death of mob boss Bumpy Johnson, Frank Lucas takes over the heroin trade, establishing a monopoly with his 'Blue Magic' brand. He expands his reach across the New York Tri-State Area, acquiring property and building a loyal inner circle of brothers. Simultaneously, Detective Richie Roberts is tasked with dismantling the drug trade. The two men's paths cross when Roberts notices Lucas' high-profile presence at a boxing match. The investigation intensifies as Roberts' team uses an informant to uncover Lucas' smuggling routes via Vietnam war planes. After a series of raids and the arrest of Lucas' associates, Lucas is captured. During his trial, he offers information on corrupt police officers in exchange for leniency. This leads to the conviction of numerous officers and allows Roberts to become a defense attorney. Lucas is sentenced to 70 years, serving 15 before his release in 1991.
- First release year
- 2007
- Runtime (minutes)
- 157
- Production countries
- United States
- Original languages
- English
- Directors
- Ridley Scott
- Writers
- Steven Zaillian · screenplay
- Cast and characters
- Denzel Washington · Frank Lucas; Russell Crowe · Richie Roberts; Chiwetel Ejiofor; Cuba Gooding Jr.; Josh Brolin; Ted Levine; Armand Assante; John Ortiz; John Hawkes; RZA
- Genres
- crime; drama; biographical
- Tone and mood
- Gritty; Serious
- Premise and plot tags
- Crime; Drug Trade; Law Enforcement; Biographical
- Source material / true-story basis
- A New York magazine story about the rise and fall of Frank Lucas.
- Content notes
- Violence
- Reception
- The film was well received by critics and grossed over $266 million worldwide.
- Reported review scores
- Rotten Tomatoes · score: 81% · scale: percentage · review count: 218; Metacritic · score: 76 · scale: 100 · review count: 38
- Awards and nominations
- Screen Actors Guild Award · Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role · Win; Oscar · Best Art Direction · Nomination; Oscar · Best Supporting Actress · Nomination
- Production trivia
- The film set a record for the highest number of filming locations of a movie.; The film was based on a New York magazine story titled 'The Return of Superfly'.; The film's production was moved to New York City to utilize tax credits.
Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.
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