Defsounds

With critically acclaimed responses and a new soundtrack album dropping by Jay-Z tomorrow, the authenticity of "American Gangster" is now being questioned. The movie, starring Denzel Washington as the lead character, is supposed to depict the life of Frank Lucas, a notoriously known drug dealer in the early '70's. However, as Frank Lucas states, "only 20 percent of the film is true."

The real-life Richie Roberts, the cop played by Russell Crowe in the movie, also had this to say , "The parts in the movie that depict Frank as a family man are ludicrous. They did it for dramatic purposes, you know, to make him look good and me look bad." According to Roberts, who prosecuted a New Jersey case against Lucas, the dealer wasn't the modest dresser and straight-dealing business man that the movie shows viewers. Roberts called the scene showing Lucas holding hands with his family in a Thanksgiving prayer "sickening."

Sources said Lucas manipulated his family members, moving them from North Carolina to work for him and even putting a hit out on his own brother. Law enforcement and prosecutors who worked the case said the flick distorts Lucas' role in Harlem's drug scene, and is riddled with untruths, like the involvement of rogue cops and the shipping of heroin in Vietnam caskets.

I really don't see what the problem is with this. This isn't the first time a true story has been raped by Hollywood and dressed up to look more pretty to the public. There's no such thing as a "true story" anymore. If your movie has a decent amount of sex, drugs & violence, it will have a better chance of becoming successful. That may not be fair, but it's the truth. I also doubt that these recent statements regarding the validity of this movie is even going to hurt sales at the box office because, let's be honest, who really gives a fuck? Fake or not, if it entertains you, it entertains you.

I think Denzel was actually "under-scripted" in this movie. He could have done much more with this role if the script had been written a little better. It was a good movie, but far from a great one. We all heard the talk before the movie, about how this would be the Black "Goodfellas" or the next "Scarface" but in all actuality, it's not even close. I think Russell Crowe's character in the movie, Richie Roberts, had a very drawn out and long background. They both gave solid performances but it still left so many other elements out. That's what makes a 'good' movie, a 'great' one. Some characters were underdeveloped while others, were too involved. Cuba Gooding Jr. is actually in the movie, for a whole 30 seconds, playing Nicky Barnes, who was one of the head players in the Harlem drug game at that time. It would have made the film much more interesting had they developed that character more. All in all , it was a decent movie. Nothing to call classic, but not exactly horrible either.

American Gangster, crushed the competition at the box office this weekend, bringing in $46.3 million - the highest ever for a modern crime movie. - and further lining Lucas' pockets. Because he was convicted before the "Son of Sam Law" was enacted, Lucas can make money off of his story of drug exploits. With a feature film under his belt, the former drug lord plans to merchandise his story with a video game, a clothing line and he's in talks for a sequel to the film.