Hey all, I’m back with a crime film from 2007 for this week’s Movie Monday. It’s American Gangster.

Plot: The plot of this film is loosely based on the true criminal career of gangster Frank Lucas. The film is predictably all about catching Frank in the act. Honestly, most of the plot is made up for dramatic effect, but there are some kernels of truth in it but probably not a lot.

Casting: Denzel Washington and Russel Crowe are the two stars, and they did an amazing job alongside the rest of the cast.

Cinematography: The special effects aren’t anything particularly special, but they weren’t terrible either.

Music: The music is rather forgettable in my opinion.

Overall: An okay film but given its mostly fictional nature it’s not exactly exciting to me. Maybe others will enjoy it more since they really leaned in on the action aspects at the expense of the historical narrative.

For those who like: Crime, Thrillers, Drama, Action, and an Excellent Cast.

Not for those who don’t like: Any of the above.