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Ridley Scott directs from a script by Steven Zaillian this true story about a New York detective (Russell Crowe) and a drug lord (Denzel Washington) whose paths cross in the 1970s to expose deep-rooted corruption in the police force. The film balances the screen time between Washington and Crowe’s characters, so we get both the plight of the humble man and the rise & fall of an overly-ambitious one. American Gangster follows in the footsteps of movies like The Godfather, Heat, and Gangs of New York, but isn’t quite as viscerally or emotionally engaging as any of those other titles. But if you can find your bearings in the first half hour, you might get moderately caught up in it. A lot of supporting players have little to do here, though Ruby Dee managed to snag an Oscar nomination for her portrayal of Washington’s mother. With Josh Brolin, Chiwetel Ejiofor, John Hawkes, Cuba Gooding Jr, Armand Assante, Joe Morton, Idris Elba, and Ted Levine.

Oscar Nominations: Best Art Direction, Best Supporting Actress (Ruby Dee)