By Anthony Bruno

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Despite all the fine acting talent on the screen in "American Gangster," no one soars. They have a job to do and they do it, but no one rises above they pack. They're like the teams of naked women who process Lucas's raw heroin. They have natural assets, but there's nothing particularly sexy or eye-catching about them. The one exception is Ruby Dee as Lucas's mother. In a brief scene in which she tries to talk some sense into her son, she single-handedly makes the audience sit up and take notice.

"American Gangster" isn't the worst film about the drug trade ever made, but it's certainly not the best. What must have seemed like a great idea in the pitch—the true story of an American drug lord—ultimately undercuts the finished product. Bottom line: it's a film about an unrepentant, murderous drug dealer, and nobody really cares about an unrepentant, murderous drug dealer.

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Contact Anthony Bruno  info@anthony-bruno.com

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