6. American Gangster (2007)
Ridley Scott couldnt have said it any better when he said this of American Gangster; "I can now take a normal world and make it epic," That is what makes this, my final of 6 films, so integral to the list. Until now he had done ambitious science fiction, down beat thrillers, socially relevant small films and expansive blockbusters. But even with the likes of Thelma and Louise, Matchstick Men and A Good Year, he had not quite managed to marry his too biggest passions real life and extraordinary scope. Very few directors can walk into a genre and make a classic example of it. So when Scott did that with two genres in one film, people sat up and took notice. Part bio-pic, part gangster flick, American Gangster tapped into a longtime favorite of the public psyche, the mobster. All the usual Scott themes are here, including a revival of the long lost femme fatale role which he has utilized so long ago in Blade Runner. But what he does with American Gangster is that he tells it from two sides. Until now, Michael Mann had been the only one in Hollywood (Asian cinema had been doing this for ages) who really took time to construct a living, breathing world of heroes and villains with backstories, home lives, and three-dimensional personalities. The beauty of American Gangster is that we love Frank Lucas and we love Richie Roberts, but we also kind of hate them. Scott had arrived at his final move, he had mastered the art of intelligent blockbusters check mate, world. And he did all of this whilst simultaneously working on three separate films. Now THAT is the sign of a true genius at work. Original Critical Responses:
Here's a startlingly original true-life story told in an oddly unoriginal way. And that attempt at instant classic status in the title doesn't quite convince. It's got no more dark grandeur than American Idol. -Peter Bradshaw (The Guardian)
A film that deserves attention, if not your full respect. -James Mottram (Film4) Supplement Your Viewing With: The Duellists (1977) 1492: Conquest of Paradise (1992) Prometheus is out now, and you can read our review here.