With a plot settled in 1960 degraded Harlem, “American Gangster” pictures a highly known theme in America of these days: the American Dream with guns, blood and heroin.

The crime-drama made by Universal Pictures and written by Steve Zaillain opened on November 2.

Frank Lucas, the central character of the movie played by Denzel Washington starts his action as the driver of one of the neighborhood crime lords Bumpy Johnson, becoming his apprentice.

Lucas listens carefully to Johnson's advice and after his death he takes over the Harlem drug business

From this point the whole action of the movie is centered on Lucas who starts building his own empire around drugs. He takes his job very seriously, being the one who flies to Southeast Asia (Thailand) to buy the products directly from the suppliers, meeting them face to face. He finds ingenious strategies to bring the heroin to New York stocking it into coffins of dead American Soldiers which is very creepy at the first sight but a very good way to transport “the goods”. This is not just an imaginary way of bringing drugs directly to America, but also a real fact.

He builds a strong drug empire in which he can trust everyone because he keeps them happy with good money. Moreover they were his relatives. The products are of a high- quality, it is sold at a good price and there is money for everyone. His “Blue Magic”, as his “goods” were named became known in the 70’s New York as being twice good at a half price. Due to this the other suppliers are pissed off and forced to adapt themselves at the market’s rules. Lucas succeeded to earn $150 million fortune from selling the purest heroin on the market.

At the opposite side of the movie stands Richie Roberts played by Russell Crowe who is the cop that brings Lucas in front of the law. It takes a long time until he succeeds that, as Lucas plays very vigilant in his role of a gangster. But Roberts figures out the way Lucas brought the heroin in Harlem and he is one step behind him.

Although Lucas seems to be the main character in Ridley Scott’s movie pointing out to another excellent movie, Roberts is the character who gives action to the movie. Without him following Lucas, the movie wouldn’t have a story to tell and Lucas might still be in the business if Roberts didn’t arrest him in 1984.

Being brought in front of the law, Lucas and Roberts make a deal: Roberts will make sure Lucas’ sentence will reduce while Lucas will testify against the corrupted New York police officers who seemed to made good deals with the gangsters.

Bringing together two of Hollywood’ most charismatic actors, directed by Ridley Scott and with an Oscar-winning screenplay writer in the person of Steve Zaillian(who also wrote “Schindler’s List”, “Awakenings”), “American Gangster” will surely be “delicious” for the audience.