AMERICAN GANGSTER (Rated R)

Often, a really good gangster film plays out like a grand epic, something akin to “The Godfather” where the broad sweep of crime history suggests a powerful and compelling story. This is the case with the aptly named “American Gangster,” convincing and forceful because it is based on the true story of a dangerously charismatic and ruthless crime boss who created his own power structure in Harlem.

A homegrown product of the streets of New York, black entrepreneur Frank Lucas built his American success story through an innovative means of drug dealing, creating his own impenetrable empire in the African-American neighborhood. “American Gangster,” fitting as the title is, could have easily been called “The Godfather Comes to Harlem.”

Denzel Washington is an interesting choice for vicious drug lord Frank Lucas, but then this talented actor has shown how well he can use his natural charisma in the service of a dishonorable character. Just think of what he was able to do in “Training Day,” and then put him in the hands of acclaimed director Ridley Scott for the finishing touch. Washington's Lucas, nattily dressed and impeccably mannered, is an unflappable crime lord, coolly calculating in his rise to power.

It all begins in 1968, when Lucas, the quiet apprentice to Harlem crime boss Bumpy Johnson (Clarence Williams III), exploits a vacuum in the power structure with Johnson’s untimely death. Using ingenuity and a strict business ethic, Lucas applies his years of street knowledge to gain the upper hand in the drug underworld, as he shunts aside his major Harlem rival in the heroin trade, Nicky Barnes (Cuba Gooding, Jr.).

Making accommodations with Mafia bosses, particularly Dominic Cattano (Armand Assante), Lucas maneuvers himself into a position to rule the inner-city drug trade, due in large measure to his ingenious move to secure pure heroin directly from the source in the Southeast Asia. Working through the contacts of one of his relatives stationed in Thailand with the U.S. military, Lucas arranges direct shipments of illicit drugs into the United States by using the military to have the drugs shipped in the coffins of U.S. soldiers killed in combat during the Vietnam War.

Meanwhile, back in the United States, running on a parallel track, the travails of hard-nosed, honest Essex County cop Richie Roberts (Russell Crowe) are unfolding with the kind of turbulent upheaval that greeted the incorruptible Frank Serpico.

To the chagrin of his fellow officers, Roberts makes no apologies for his righteous demeanor, as this becomes amply clear when he rather ostentatiously returns a suitcase full of nearly one million in drug-dealing cash to the precinct for evidence. He is even less popular with a gang of New York thug cops, particularly the nasty extortionist Detective Trupo (Josh Brolin), who takes it as a personal affront if he doesn’t get a taste of any illegal transaction.

When Roberts is so compromised by his personal integrity, he has little choice other than to head up a federal task force that tries to find the source behind the lucrative sale of Blue Magic on the New York streets. Having acquired his heroin without the use of a middleman, Lucas is able to sell pure drugs at half the cost of heroin cut by too much powder.

To make his operation run smoothly, Lucas imports all his brothers and cousins from North Carolina, setting them up in legitimate small businesses that serve as convenient fronts. He even brings up his mother (Ruby Dee) and buys her a large suburban home that becomes a gathering place for Sunday dinners after attending church.

Perhaps a good son, Lucas is anything but the model citizen as he is known to kill an opponent at point blank range or by setting someone on fire. However, in an odd juxtaposition to his dark side, he operates under a personal code of conduct that sets him apart from other criminals.

For instance, he is courteous and polite, dotes on his mother and attractive wife (Lymari Nadal), and dresses in nice suits, so as not to look like a street pimp. As the Roberts’ investigation unfolds, Lucas is soon in the sights of the task force. In an interesting way, Roberts and Lucas are the opposite sides of the same coin, because both are tenacious and driven to their own ends.

“American Gangster” creates plenty of magic with its impressive, compelling epic story of criminal enterprise and police corruption run amok. Not to disparage the fine work of Russell Crowe, but the film truly belongs to Denzel Washington’s hypnotic character.

The normally volatile Crowe comes off as subdued, perhaps owing to the raft of personal and professional problems that would drive an ordinary man to despair. Washington cuts an impressive figure as the 1970s criminal superstar, making “American Gangster” well worth watching.

DVD RELEASE UPDATE

Few cartoon characters are more popular than the Pink Panther. Our feline friend gets the DVD treatment with the release of “The Pink Panther: A Pink Christmas” on Nov. 6.

The world’s favorite pink-furred cartoon cat, with the manners of an English aristocrat, stars in this family holiday special.

The resourceful panther must rely on clever strategies as he trudges through a cold, snowy New York City, searching for a mouthwatering holiday dinner.

Two additional specials are included in this release, including “Pink at First Sight,” where the hip, cool, but broke and single panther takes a messenger job on Valentine’s Day, meeting the usual assortment of crazy characters.

Tim Riley writes film and television reviews for Lake County News.

{mos_sb_discuss:5}