American Gangster (2007)

American Gangster is a gritty, true‑crime drama that follows the rise of Frank Lucas from loyal driver and enforcer to the most powerful heroin importer in Harlem, and the dogged, principled detective determined to bring him down. Set in the late 1960s and 1970s, the film traces how Lucas seizes control after the death of mob boss Bumpy Johnson, cuts out middlemen by buying pure heroin directly from Southeast Asia, and uses an audacious import scheme — even exploiting military flights from Vietnam — to flood the streets with his branded “Blue Magic.” His low prices and Mafia alliances make him nearly untouchable. Opposite him is Richie Roberts, an incorruptible Essex County cop who leads a federal narcotics task force and becomes consumed by the hunt. Watching the movie you’ll experience a tense, slow‑burn crime epic with rich period detail, moral complexity, and high‑stakes cat‑and‑mouse suspense. Expect procedural investigation scenes, power plays and betrayals, and an examination of greed, ambition and institutional corruption. The tone alternates between polished ambition and brutal street reality, offering both character-driven drama and thriller momentum — a compelling, partly biographical portrait of criminal enterprise and the men on opposite sides of the law.

Actors: Denzel Washington, Russell Crowe, Chiwetel Ejiofor

Director: Ridley Scott

Runtime: 157 min

Genres: Biography, Crime, Drama

7.6 /10 76 /100 7.8 /10 7.7 /10