American Gangster: *** (out of a possible **** stars)

It’s long and at times a little slow, but Denzel Washington and Russell Crowe are perfect as always, and the film does a great job creating the bleak atmosphere needed to deal with dramatic subjects like the underground drug trade, organized crime, and police corruption. A word of warning to potential viewers - if constant profanity, graphic violence, illicit drug use, and recurring nudity bother you, well, then this probably isn’t the film for you. But hey, if watching naked chicks cut heroin IS your thing - or if you just like good drama and a true story - then I’d recommend American Gangster for sure.