Ridley Scott: Ranking His Films From Worst To Best

5. American Gangster

A gangster film from Ridley Scott? Expectations were extremely high for American Gangster pre-release, and though it didn't quite live up to all those awards hopes, it's still a terrifically enjoyable crime thriller all the same. Denzel Washington gives an infectiously charming performance as the titular character, while Russell Crowe is no slouch either as the cop chasing him down,. Curiously enough, though, the only actor in the movie to receive much awards love was Ruby Dee, who plays Washington's mother and only has a few short minutes of screen time, yet ended up nominated for Best Supporting Actress. This film lives and breathes the 1970s, in large part due to Scott's reliably strong direction and some immaculate period cinematography. Though it's unarguably too long at 157 minutes and certainly had the potential to be a classic on the level of Goodfellas, it settles for silver instead, which is no shameful thing. If you've ever wanted to watch Denzel Washington murder a man (played by Idris Elba, no less) in broad daylight on a crowded street with zero f***s given, then this is just the film for you.