American Gangster

For me, this is one of the classic must-watch gangster movies and up there with the Godfather, Donnie Brasco, Goodfellas and Scarface. It shows the rise and fall of the black drug smuggler and seller Frank Lucas (Denzel Washington) and the policeman (Russel Crow) trying to catch him. The plot takes place in the late 60s and early 70s, far away from the 90s and 00s where gold teeth, gold chains, sagged pants and hip hop dominated black culture. This makes the movie feel more serious and shows a more "civilized" black gangster life. Both Washington and Crow deliver great performances and the script gives them space to act into multiple dimensions and be believable humans. We understand their motivations, see them struggle and thus can root for both of them, even though they have opposing goals. There are a many memorable scenes - such as the sugar dispenser scene. If you watched the movie, you will know what I mean. The movie has enough depth to make you rewatch it multiple times and learn to appreciate the details more and more - just like The Godfather.