Excellent movie based on the life of drug-kingpin Frank Lucas (played by Denzel Washington) . . . intersecting with the drug-busting activity of a New Jersey cop, Richie Roberts (played by Russell Crowe). Lucas was scorned by the other dealers because he broke the rules in three ways. 1) He was Black, (not Italian, Irish or Jewish), 2) he cut out the middleman in the drug trade by buying drugs directly from a source in Southeast Asia and, 3) he smuggled the heroin into the New York area by paying-off Army and Air Force personnel assigned to bring back dead soldiers from the fighting in Vietnam.
Denzel Washington was provided with a much more powerful acting opportunity than Crowe because the Lucas persona requires a personality with underlying anger. He was perfect in the role because his experiences when growing up in segregated Mt. Vernon NY, helped create just that underlying anger.
The social message and the moral dilemma about the US policy and politics regarding our War on Drugs is presented as a background which includes men getting caught up in the power, greed and the human degradation of the drug trade.
There is no great story here . . . just another cops and robbers film that is carried by super acting and good writing, music and direction.
No comments:
Post a Comment