Flick of the Day: American Gangster

I'm a big fan of the English born director Ridley Scott here at The Daily Flick. Indeed, the very first post on this blog way back on Sunday Dec 5th 2010 was a review of the Director's Cut of Kingdom of Heaven, perhaps one of his best works in its full and unmangled version. Over the course of his career, Scott has produced some truly ground breaking works while operating well within the mainstream of modern genre cinema. Very often the impact of his work has been lessened by a triumph of visual style over narrative substance. Films like Black Rain and Black Hawk Down were visually stunning at times but lacked something which made them memorable. However when he manages to marry a compelling story to his visual flair, there are few better than him. Today's flick of the day American Gangster is most definitely in the latter category.

American Gangster

Opening in 1968 with the Vietnam war rapidly reaching its nadir, this is the story of Frank Lucas, ably played by Denzel Washington, the right hand man of the soon to be deceased Harlem gangster Bumpy Johnson. Stepping into the power vacuum created by the death of his mentor, Lucas sets out to become the most powerful hood in the 5 boroughs of New York by travelling to Thailand and seeking to import heroin from its jungle source. Taking advantage of the boom in users caused by serviceman returning from Vietnam with a needle in their arm, Lucas quickly corners the market. This is unwelcome news for a group of corrupt cops led by Josh Brolin who have been selling confiscated heroin back to the Mafia men who had imported it. Into this heady brew steps Richie Roberts, a straight as an arrow cop training to be a lawyer with a zeal for putting away drug traffickers. Roberts is played by Russell Crowe who excels in the role. Roberts quickly begins a quest to bring Lucas to justice by any means.

The real joy of this film is Scott's ability to weave what is a very interesting look at New York sub-culture in the late 60's and early 70's. At times there is an almost documentary feel as the set-up of the city's drug trade is laid out before us. From an aside about the police selling the drugs captured in The French Connection to the interactions between the dealers and celebrities of the era, the film exudes authenticity and research. This grounding in the era and an understanding of the world into which Lucas begins his rise to power serves the film well.

Like so many of Scott's films, this has a cast rich with talent throughout. Fine actors like Idris Elba, Jon Polito and John Hawkes appear in tiny roles and such was the hype surrounding the script that the cast is littered with a who's who of stars from the American hip-hop scene. The leads each give nuanced performances throughout. Brolin stands out perhaps because he has the most entertaining role as a corrupt and ruthless detective who is menacing throughout. Crowe is his usual competent self and Washington surprises in his ability to inhabit the morality free zone that is Frank Lucas' world.

Perhaps one of the more underrated of Scott's films perhaps because it initially appears to be overly glossy and lacking substance, there is much to enjoy here and as it reaches its natural denouement becomes quite a compelling ride. You know Frank is going to be captured but it is the how that is just as entertaining. A fine film.

Flick of The Day: The Goonies

During my review of Super 8 earlier this month, I noted its similarity to classic film's like today's flick of the day The Goonies. Perhaps the biggest link between the two and the strongest aspect of both films is the interaction between the child actors, which gives the film a great sense of being true to life. The dialogue feels lived in. The other similarity is the sense of adventure and this is perhaps why The Goonies is fondly remembered so many years after its release.

The Goonies

From a story by Steven Spielberg, this is the tale of a gang of misfit kids from the "Goon Docks" neighbourhood of Astoria, Oregon who will soon be split up as a group of developers seek to turn their homes into a golf club. The stellar cast includes a very young Sean Astin as Mikey, Josh Brolin as his older brother Brandon and that most 80's of actors Corey Feldman. With nothing to do on their last weekend in the town, they hang about as teenagers are wont to do. While looking through the attic where Mike's historian father keeps some aged local history exhibits, they stumble across a Spanish map belonging to a famous Pirate, One-Eyed Willie. Becoming convinced that Willie's treasure is buried just off the coast of Astoria, they set off to find it. Along the way they fall into the hands of the evil Fratellis, a gang of wanted criminals. This being Spielberg, they eventually stumble onto Willie's trail and have to face a number of quirky and dangerous obstacles and booby traps as they race to get to the treasure before the Fratellis. 

This film is a thrill ride from start to finish with the kind of adventure filled storyline that appeals to all ages. The search for buried treasure is the kind of premise that has filled cinemas from the days of The Treasure of the Sierra Madre to Raiders of the Lost Ark. While the child cast rely on the usual tropes, (the fat kid, the pretty cheerleader, the Asian kid with gadgets), they are so well drawn as clichés and the dialogue so true to life that they remain charming throughout. Their is enough humour to carry things through.

Elgin Perkins: Hello guys. I'm Mr Perkins, Troy's father. 

Richard 'Data' Wang: I know Troy. He's that cheap guy. 

Brandon Walsh: My dad's not home Mr. Perkins. 

Elgin Perkins: Is your mommy here? 

Brandon Walsh: [scarcastic] No, actually she's out at the market buying Pampers for all us kids. 

Elgin Perkins: [feigning laughing] Papers Joe. You can give these to your father to read through and sign. I'll be by to pick them up in the morning.

As usual with Spielberg, this is never a film that talks down to its youthful audience, nothing is sugar coated for a childhood demographic and perhaps that is why it still appeals to adults even today. Perhaps one of the worst development of the last 20 years has been cinema created purely for 5- 10 year old's with no thought for the parents forced to sit through it. One can't help but look back at this film with nostalgia, it is a triumph on all fronts. Its perfectly melds the need for action set pieces with old fashioned storytelling. The film spawned a number of poor imitators in its wake but none had the lasting impact of Richard Donner's film. Donner coaxed performances from the child actors by playing little tricks on them. They were not allowed to see the full scale model of Willie's pirate ship until they filmed the scene for the first time. Thus their reactions were genuine childhood wonder and this feeds throughout the film.

While very few of the cast, Josh Brolin apart, would go on to great fame and success, they each excelled in their own little way in this film. Donner would go on to make all four of the increasingly turgid Lethal Weapon franchise but this is perhaps his best work. All in all, a very enjoyable film and one to seek out if you haven't seen it yet. It is one of those touchstones of growing up in the 80's and 90's. 

Flick of The Day: True Grit

It is the rarest of things, a sequel that is superior to its original. Godfather Part II is the most obvious one to come to mind but then that is the continuation of a tale rather then a new chapter. Today's film is not so much a remake as a re-imagining of the 1969 classic which won John Wayne his solitary Oscar. Ethan & Joel Coen returned to the source material of Charles Portis novel though there are enough similarities to warrant a comparison with the John Wayne version.

The film is narrated by the adult Mattie Ross, as she tells the tale of how her father was murdered by the layabout Tom Chaney and how she set off to seek retribution as her 14 year old self, played by the newcomer and precocious talent Hailee Steinfeld. She hires the meanest marshal in the territories, Reuben J Cogburn and together they fall in with a Texas Ranger named LaBoeuf and set off into the wilderness in search of Chaney. Jeff Bridges takes up the role of Cogburn, which John Wayne had made his own and creates his own character out of it. His is more broken down by life and an incurable love of whiskey but retains the honour and toughness which Wayne brought to the role. It is a very fine performance. Special mention must also go to Matt Damon, who far outstrips Glen Campbell's performance in the original. LaBoeuf is arrogant and the quintessential Texan with brash spurs and chaps yet still retains a likeability which counter balances the gruff Cogburn.

Josh Brolin plays the feckless and psychotic Tom Chaney with a menacing idiocy. While all of the main performances are of the highest order, the script is one of the Coens best efforts. It retains some of the levity of the novel while giving the story a grittiness consistent with a modern appraisal of the old west. 

"Rooster Cogburn: We'll sleep here and follow in the morning.
Mattie Ross: But we promised to bury the poor soul inside!
Rooster Cogburn: Ground's too hard. Them men wanted a decent burial, they should have got themselves killed in summer"

The cinematography of Roger Deakins recalls some of the classic Westerns with its grand vistas and harsh lighting of the sparse landscape. The further they venture from society and into the wilderness, the more barren the landscape becomes and Deakins camera captures every inch.

In summary, this is a fine film which stands on its own apart from the original and breathes new life into a great tale, giving it a more fitting ending then the 1969 version. This is not to criticize the original but the ending seems more fitting to that which has come before it. I recommend you see this film, is well worth a trip to the cinema.