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American Gangster

Critic's Pick Critics' Pick

(No longer in theaters)
  • Rating: R — for violence, pervasive drug content and language, nudity and sexuality
  • Director: Ridley Scott   Cast: Denzel Washington, Russell Crowe, Dania Ramirez, Josh Brolin, Carla Gugino
  • Running Time: 160 minutes
  • Reader Rating: Write a Review

Genre

Drama

Producer

Brian Grazer, Ron Howard

Distributor

Universal Pictures

Release Date

Nov 2, 2007

Release Notes

Nationwide

Official Website

Review

The Jay-Z album that it inspired might just be the best thing about American Gangster, but with all due respect to David Edelstein—who believes the movie is “at arm’s length from the culture that spawned it,” that is to say, a bit too much about America and not enough about gangstas—we're going to have to advise that you should see it. And soon, as your fellow Americans discover that no, it's not the black Godfather or the good Scarface, but just a flick with those ambitions—one that aroused, in Jay-Z and the rest of us, an excitement we’d be a little cynical to give up sharing in.

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