Watching American Gangster, I had the feeling as if I had entered some kind of time warp. I felt like I was back in the Seventies again—or, in my case, for the first time. I didn’t feel this way because the film took place in the late Sixties, early Seventies, or because of the film’s brilliant production values, but rather the style of the movie. Not only did I feel like I was watching a movie that took place in the 1970s, I felt like I was watching a movie that was made in the 1970s—for my money, the best decade in the history of cinema.

The Seventies was the decade in which a large number of Hollywood’s best directors came into power: guys like Scorsese, Coppola, Spielberg, Lucas, Friedkin, Altman, and Allen. The Seventies was also the first full decade after the MPAA ratings system had been established, granting these directors a lot more freedom in terms of violence, sex, and language. It also didn’t hurt that these directors were blessed with a young crop of actors that included the likes of Pacino, DeNiro, Hoffman, Hackman, Redford, and Nicholson. The resulting films were daring, fresh, rugged, exciting, compelling, and entertaining.

American Gangster director Ridley Scott also came to prowess in the Seventies with films like 1977’s The Duellists and 1979’s Alien.

Gangster is based on the true story of Frank Lucas, who achieved the criminal version of the American dream. The long time driver of a respected mob boss who recently passed, Lucas decides to become the boss himself. He skips right over the Italian mafia and flies to Southeast Asia himself in the middle of the Vietnam War, bringing back 100% pure heroin directly from the source and selling it on the street for a discounted price.

Lucas is played by Denzel Washington, and the film lets us know immediately that this isn’t they typical good-guy Denzel role as he torches a man without even a flinch. Washington is perfect for the role because he is able to provide the element of menace while still managing to be charming which adds to the complexity of the character. Like Don Corleone, Lucas is a man who puts his family first, but who’s not afraid of getting his own hands dirty.

The movie also focuses on the incorruptible police detective Richie Roberts, who wants to be a lawyer despite his fear of public speaking. Roberts is known around the department as the man who found nearly a million dollars in cash in the trunk of a crook’s car and turned it in to the proper authorities. In this corrupt police force, this kind of honesty is not necessarily seen as a positive attribute.

Roberts is put in charge of a special unit whose job it is to stop drug trafficking. As a side benefit, he may also get an opportunity to expose police corruption.

Roberts is played by frequent Scott collaborator Russell Crowe, who continues to prove his seemingly endless range and commitment to detail. Part of his research for this role included listening to tapes of Richie Roberts in order to get down his exact speech mannerisms. Roberts was actually on set as a consultant, as was Frank Lucas, and their contribution is evident in the film’s authenticity. In terms of performances, in addition to Washington and Crowe, excellent supporting performances are delivered by the likes of Chiwetel Ejiofor, Cuba Gooding Jr., John Hawkes, Ruby Dee, and Josh Brolin.

The authenticity also stretches well beyond the performances to the set decoration, cinematography, costumes, and just about every other production department. I was amazed with some scenes that were obviously shot on location in modern day New York City and across the water in modern day New Jersey; but filtered through the camera, it is undoubtedly the 1970s. If there were an Academy award for location scouting, this film deserves one.

In terms of 1970s films, Gangster shares most in common with the 1971 Oscar-winner The French Connection, and it should be no surprise that the two real-life stories on which the films are based on overlapped in New York City. The drugs recovered from the drug bust that was portrayed in The French Connection are seen early in this film being put back on the streets by dirty cops. Gangster also has that same kind of gritty, filmed-directly-on-the-street feel as Connection which shot its famous chase scene amidst live civilians. Russell Crowe’s character also reflects the influence of Al Pacino’s Frank Serpico.

American Gangster’s only fault might be its 157 minute running time, but even though I felt like I was watching a long movie, there’s no time that felt wasted. This is a terrific entertainment and one of the best films on the already impressive resumes of Crowe, Washington and Scott.

American Gangster is rated rated R for “violence, pervasive drug content and language, nudity and sexuality.” Like a lot of the films of the Seventies, this film makes full use of its R rating. On-the-streets language and brutal violence surround this story that relies on its drug content. Notably, another attribute of the film’s authenticity are the women who bag heroin in the nude so they can’t steal anything.

Courtesy of a local publicist, Jeff attended a promotional screening of American Gangster.