American Gangster
I'm sick of Denzel Washington playing the same role in every movie. It's always the same over-the-top, no frills, take no prisoners, I dont give a fuck about anyone, look how badass I am because I just shot someone in broad daylight role. This movie never takes off into the fun gangster movie it could have been. There's just something dull about this movie.
When we first meet Ridley Scott's Frank Lucas (Denzel Washington) in 1969, he's a discreet driver and occasional hired hitman for Bumpy. Bumpy dies of old age in Frank's arms, mumbling about his disdain for the new chain stores that are taking over the neighborhood: "What right do they have cutting out the suppliers … buying direct from the manufacturer?" As the soft-spoken but merciless Frank takes over Bumpy's operation, that's exactly what he proceeds to do, eliminating the Mafia middleman and smuggling his dope direct from Vietnam in the coffins of dead soldiers.
This brings Frank to the attention of Richie Roberts (Russell Crowe), a New Jersey cop who's so clean that when he came upon a stash of $1 million, he turned it in—an act that's earned him the pussy reputation of the entire department. Roberts is named head of a federal drug task force to investigate the source of Blue Magic, Franks big drug or something, and although Frank soon emerges as a suspect, there is no evidence to back it up.
So, unfortunately, does the character of Frank Lucas, who should be the heart of this movie. Instead, Washington's gangster is the same role we've seen him play in countless other films (Training Day, Man on Fire, Out of Time) to name a few. I dont care enough about the film to delve into Russel Crowe's character, suffice it to say that he is more likeable than Denzel, but barely.
The only positive I have on this film is that it raises some interesting questions why the men and women of our army are so big on drugs. Plus once Denzel and Russel do finally meet up, their scene at the prosecution table is the most interesting and well acted of the film.
What should have been a clash of two opposing moral universes instead comes off as a lame and boring. Plus is takes literally the entire movie to get Russel and Denzel to finally meet. When they do, it pays off, but its way too little too late. What exactly is the story of Frank's rise and fall supposed to have shown us about gangsters, or about America? Nothing, apparently.
It's almost incredible anything amazing could be said about this film. The fact that it's generating so much Oscar buzz is befuddling to me. It's a poor man's The Departed, which is a poor mans Scarface. So basically it's a poor mans flick twice removed, which is sad.
C
Dan In Real Life
This brings Frank to the attention of Richie Roberts (Russell Crowe), a New Jersey cop who's so clean that when he came upon a stash of $1 million, he turned it in—an act that's earned him the pussy reputation of the entire department. Roberts is named head of a federal drug task force to investigate the source of Blue Magic, Franks big drug or something, and although Frank soon emerges as a suspect, there is no evidence to back it up.
So, unfortunately, does the character of Frank Lucas, who should be the heart of this movie. Instead, Washington's gangster is the same role we've seen him play in countless other films (Training Day, Man on Fire, Out of Time) to name a few. I dont care enough about the film to delve into Russel Crowe's character, suffice it to say that he is more likeable than Denzel, but barely.
The only positive I have on this film is that it raises some interesting questions why the men and women of our army are so big on drugs. Plus once Denzel and Russel do finally meet up, their scene at the prosecution table is the most interesting and well acted of the film.
What should have been a clash of two opposing moral universes instead comes off as a lame and boring. Plus is takes literally the entire movie to get Russel and Denzel to finally meet. When they do, it pays off, but its way too little too late. What exactly is the story of Frank's rise and fall supposed to have shown us about gangsters, or about America? Nothing, apparently.
It's almost incredible anything amazing could be said about this film. The fact that it's generating so much Oscar buzz is befuddling to me. It's a poor man's The Departed, which is a poor mans Scarface. So basically it's a poor mans flick twice removed, which is sad.
C
Dan In Real Life
I like Steve Carrell. I really do. I enjoy The Office (even though I'm sick of everyone talking about it).
Dan In Real Life involves the uncomfortable goings-on at a family reunion, in this case the annual gathering of the Burns clan, a tight-knit tribe that gives new definition to the term exhausting. Led by Mom (Dianne Wiest) and Dad (John Mahoney), the family does everything together: communally exercising, putting on talent shows, playing games of trivia and touch football, and openly and therapeutically discussing their hopes, dreams, problems, and desires. All of this makes the film a cliche. It's the same thing we've seen in every other family movie, ever, seriously.
For this year's gathering, however, Dan (Carell)—a Dear Abby-style columnist (at least thats what the movie wants us to believe, we never actually see him write), widower, and single father to three girls—finds himself the unhappy man out, primarily because of the discomfort that arises from his falling for French beauty Marie (Juliette Binoche), and almost immediately discovers that she's the new girlfriend of his brother Mitch (Dane Cook).
Even without the casting of the reliably insufferable Cook (who is yet again ridiculously annoying) Dan is envisioned as such a purely good person that no conflict about his motivations or actions regarding Marie ever arises. Hello, you are crooning over your brothers girlfriend. That makes you the asshole Dan, not your bro Mitch. Carell gives off heartache and longing during corny scenarios that dont make any sense. He only knew this chick for three days, christ, get over it. Moments of humor do randomly come about, but it's not worth it. This film is a complete cliche. It's a poor mans Family Stone, which is a poor man's (insert every other family get together film here). So basically this is also a poor mans flick twice removed. Sad, yet again.
C-
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