Anyone see American Gangster yet?

Kizzume · Posted: Fri Dec 07, 2007 5:02 pm Post subject: Anyone see American Gangster yet?

I have not seen it yet, and I really want to based on the previews. If anyone has seen it, please give a review. I've seen the reviews that professionals give, which have been generally good reviews, but it'd be nice to see one from someone here. To me it looks like it should be good.

Hackfest · Joined: 04 Dec 2007 Posts: 413

You are not allowed to see that. Not until you borrow Goodfellas from me. I still can't believe you haven't seen that.

Kizzume · Posted: Fri Dec 07, 2007 5:03 pm Post subject:

Yeah--I still need to do that. Smile

jq · Joined: 02 Dec 2007 Posts: 1124

I will be seeing american gangster in a maxiumum of a week!

Kizzume · Posted: Fri Dec 07, 2007 5:04 pm Post subject:

Let us know. Smile

Kizzume · Posted: Fri Dec 07, 2007 5:05 pm Post subject:

So have you seen it yet? Smile

jq · Joined: 02 Dec 2007 Posts: 1124

I have seen it. Whoops, it has been about a week! I forgot about this thread.

But yeah, I saw it. ANd here are my thoughts:

Significantly less stylistic than goodfellas or casino. (The cinematography, since it isn't a Martin Scorsese film, is far more simplistic and less artsy/stylish. It is more direct.) Doesn't glamorize the organized criminals as much as those movies did, either. Although I think Scorsese, as much as he glamorized the bad guys, also had a real sense of justice or karma infused into those stories that definitely is not in this movie.

This movie really will get you thinking and maybe talking about our justice system, and what is right and wrong. A lot to dispute over in this movie, though it feels like it isn't told with a particular bias.

If you know the real story, you won't be as irritated with the end. If you don't know it yet, you may find this ending to be unsatisfying, depending on who you relate with, and your own views on morality and how the justice system works. I am not going to spoil the end, but, I will say, that my girlfriend and I had a disagreement on the ethics of the ending.

Having said that, I am stating right now, that this is one of the best movies of 2007, and certainly the best gangster movie to come out in at least a couple years if you ask me. It was initiated quite well, the story had a very interesting premise, the acting was TOP NOTCH (well you know who is in it, so you should go in with the expectation that they are going to nail their parts as they are top level actors), and as lenghty as it apparently is, there was no time in the entire movie where I got bored or wished they would pick things up. That is rare for me. Almost every movie over 90 minutes has at least a scene or two that I wish they would speed up. Not the case for American Gangster.

4/4
? Last Edit: Nov 23, 2007, 4:54pm by jq ?

Kizzume · Posted: Fri Dec 07, 2007 5:05 pm Post subject:

Great to know. It's really hard to beat those actors, and it's good to know that they are remaining consistent in their acting abilities, excellent.