Netflix has recently added a ‘brutal’ Denzel Washington gangster thriller that some fans are hailing as his most underrated movie.
The film was only just recently added to Netflix and has already climbed to number four in the charts.
Starring Denzel Washington and Russell Crowe, there is no doubt that this is an underrated classic.
Upon its release, it received fantastic reviews, boasting an 81% rating on Rotten Tomatoes and an average of 7.8 on IMDB. However, some fans still feel it doesn’t get the recognition it deserves.
Check out the trailer and discover why fans are so enthusiastic about it.
The movie in question is called American Gangster, directed by the legendary Ridley Scott.
It’s one of Scott’s lesser-known films, and you can’t help but look at the upcoming Gladiator 2 and wonder if Scott saw Washington and Russell Crowe together and thought, ‘you know what….’
The film, which was released in 2007, has a remarkable cast even beyond the two big names.
Chiwetel Ejiofor, Josh Brolin, Idris Elba, RZA, Carla Gugino, Cuba Gooding Jr, and Ruby Dee; the cast is top-to-bottom stacked.
Although nominated for two Oscars, the film isn’t exactly a hidden gem, but when discussing Denzel’s greatest roles, this often does not come up.
The late great critic Roger Ebert awarded the film a perfect four out of four and had high praise for another member of the cast rather than Denzel.
He said in his review, “This is an engrossing story, told smoothly and well, and Russell Crowe’s contribution is enormous (it’s not his fault his wife complains).
Looking like a care-worn bulldog, his Richie Roberts studies for a law degree, remains inviolate in his ethical standards and just keeps plugging away, building his case.
The film ends not with a Scarface-style shootout, but with Frank and Richie sitting down for a long, intelligent conversation, written by Zaillian to show two smart men who both know the score.”
Another review, from David Stratton, said: “Best of all, there are top-flight performances from both Denzel Washington and Russell Crowe who create interesting, rounded characters out of potential clichés.”
A thread on the subreddit r/movies debated Denzel Washington’s best roles, with one commenter highlighting American Gangster.
They said, “I somehow slept on American Gangster when it first dropped but finally caught it last year and it was damn good.”
Another said, “American Gangster – IMO the most badass Denzel has ever been.”
American Gangster is available to watch on Netflix in the US now.