From shady cops to ruthless hoodlums, Ridley Scott’s “American Gangster” thrills with the grandiose bravado only a masterly director can accomplish. Suspenseful and engrossing, Denzel Washington and Russell Crowe deliver unmatched performances with keen character development and a well-paced, sagacious screenplay. Without over-glorifying crime and even with the typical “true story” source material, “American Gangster” enlists few flaws and is easily one of the most entertaining films of the year.

It is 1968 and the former Harlem kingpin has passed away, giving rise to several competing factions of criminals who fight for control of the local drug industry. Frank Lucas quickly rises to the top with his goldmine idea of buying heroine from a pure source in East Asia, where crooked U.S. military personnel are able to smuggle it into the United States. Close on his heels is detective Richie Roberts, a seemingly honest cop who forms a special investigation unit to track down the ruthless Lucas.

Opening with a brilliantly violent scene of Frank executing a nameless offender through the use of fire and bullets, we immediately witness the strikingly blank-faced cruelty of a villain not even remotely portrayed in the trailer. It is a preface for the cold and ruthless nature of the criminal that becomes an unequaled power among the drug dealers and crooked police officials that pepper the streets. Later, it comes as no shock when Lucas burns an expensive alpaca coat given to him by his wife with nary a blink, and is unable to keep his family from harm - in fact he rapidly involves them in the dangersome business. Sympathy for Frank is derived only because of his austere determination and arresting personality, not for the suffering of his mother or wife, both of which he appears unable to show real emotions.

Russell Crowe's Richie is equally atypical, especially for a leading protagonist. He is unable to control his personal life, fighting in court over the custody of his son, all the while cheating on his wife with numerous other women. And yet his professional life as a police officer is a complete contrast, as he diligently works to catch not only the crooks, but also the treacherous cops. Notorious for turning in $1 million in unmarked cash, he struggles against the dishonest nature of his coworkers to disquietingly uphold the law. And yet unexpectedly during court he realizes the hypocritical manner of his personal shortcomings versus his professional mindset - to the point that he eventually gives up his son.

Lawlessness and organized crime exists because of the mutual benefit that the gangsters have with the law. Frank states it consummately near the end, reasoning that there are simply too many employees of the drug business - no one, including the law, wants it to stop. On top of the inane amount of cops on the take (as stressed by the end credits claiming that three quarters of the entire drug enforcement division was corrupt) Richie must deal with jurisdiction regulations that hinder his progress, as well as the crafty facade Frank surrounds himself with, masking any involvement with Blue Magic, the brand name he uses on his heroine.

American Gangster draws many parallels to the themes of the Godfather and Scarface, two of the most influential gangster films in the last forty years. Frank is completely independent and unflinching like Al Pacino's Tony Montana, and his criminal organization is structured similarly to the Italian gangsters a la the Corleones. The most prominent difference here is the lack of family importance, which is heavily stressed in The Godfather. Frank goes through the motions, but is distant from that association, and will stop at nothing to preserve his business, including unwaveringly meting out criminal justice to his own family members. His unmatched intelligence and powerful presence are only outdone by Crowe's Richie, who never even comes in contact with him until the exhilarating conclusion. The other standout player worth mentioning is Josh Brolin, who turns in an outstanding and memorable performance as Trupo, a decidedly sinister and shady cop, who exudes uttermost badass-ness with the simple slow-motion flicker of his sleek, black leather trenchcoat.

It's not that we've never seen a film like American Gangster before. It’s simply that Ridley Scott makes no errors in his storytelling process - with the epic feel, exceptional pacing, unbelievably suspenseful finale, the development of two iconic characters, and a perfectly complementing score by Marc Streitenfeld. Add to that the phenomenal acting, and you’ve got a film that will undoubtedly receive Oscar attention, and not easily be forgotten.

- Mike Massie