by Karyn L. Beach

If you liked the ‘bad’ Denzel of Training Day, then you will love his portrayal of Frank Lucas in American Gangster. In this case, it’s definitely good to be bad.

Washington plays real-life drug king pin Frank Lucas who rose to prominence in the late 60’s, early 70’s as the go-to guy for heroin. Taking lessons from his mentor Bumpy Johnson (Clarence Williams III), he eliminates the middle man and flies to Bangkok to get his dope straight from the source. Exhibiting a natural head for business, he comes back and markets his drugs which are purer and cheaper than the competition's. With a nod to the Italian mafia, Lucas kept his organization all in the family, going back home to North Carolina to get his brothers and cousins in on the family business (rapper Common plays one brother and rapper T.I. plays a nephew). He also buys a home for mama (Ruby Dee).

Of course, success comes at a price. The mafia isn’t thrilled with him; neither is his competition on the streets Nicky Barnes (Cuba Gooding Jr.). There is also a team of dirty cops (led by Josh Brolin) looking for their cut. But Lucas’s most formidable foe comes in the form of good cop, Richie Roberts (Russell Crowe). He’s a cop so clean he’s known throughout New York and New Jersey as the guy who found a million dollars in unmarked drug money and turned it in. Because of his ethics, he’s tapped to head a drug task force with the goal of taking down the big guys – the ones responsible for bringing the drugs into the country.

American Gangster starts with a bang and lets you know right up front that Frank Lucas is a man who means business. He mercilessly sets a man on fire and then shoots him several times for good measure. Washington adeptly plays Lucas as a man who is fiercely loyal to his mother and wife but who won’t hesitate to shoot someone in an instant. Crowe as well plays a man who is as flawed as he is righteous. Both men are a joy to watch.

Lucas’s rise to the top was fast and short-lived but it makes for a compelling film. Clocking in at two and a half hours, I never looked at my watch.If I had a problem with American Gangster it’s that the female characters are pretty standard. Lymari Nadal plays Frank’s beautiful trophy wife and that is pretty much what she does in the movie. She is there to be pretty and she is.

Carla Gugino plays Roberts’ estranged wife who is there to chastise him for being too dedicated to his work to be there for his wife and child. But it’s not that much of a problem because the movie isn’t about them. It’s about these two men and what drives them. There are a few good scenes at the end between Washington and Crowe that are just plain fun to watch.

The movie ends with the obligatory epilogue. Yet the post-scripts themselves could actually make a couple of good movies. I, for one, wouldn’t mind a little more American Gangster.