American Gangster

"There are two sides to the American dream."

Nov 2 2007 R 2h 37m
Biography, Crime, Drama

Following the death of his employer and mentor, Bumpy Johnson, Frank Lucas establishes himself as the number one importer of heroin in the Harlem district of Manhattan. He does so by buying heroin directly from the source in South East Asia and he comes up with a unique way of importing the drugs into the United States. Partly based on a true story.

Plot

Following the death of his employer and mentor, Bumpy Johnson, Frank Lucas establishes himself as the number one importer of heroin in the Harlem district of Manhattan. He does so by buying heroin directly from the source in South East Asia and he comes up with a unique way of importing the drugs into the United States. As a result, his product is superior to what is currently available on the street and his prices are lower. His alliance with the New York Mafia ensures his position. It is also the story of a dedicated and honest policeman, Richie Roberts, who heads up a joint narcotics task force with the Federal government. Based on a true story.

Written by

Steven Zaillian, Mark Jacobson

Directed by

Ridley Scott

Production Countries

United States of America, United Kingdom

Production Companies

Relativity Media, Scott Free Productions, Universal Pictures, Imagine Entertainment, Film Rites

Languages

English

Awards

Nominated for 2 Oscars. 12 wins & 38 nominations total

Scores
# of Votes
469,231
Average Rating
7.8 out of 10
Metascore
76
Popularity
NA