Denzel & Russell

So this whole posting a blog is brand new to me, and, truthfully, trying to grasp what we have been learning in class, and throughout reading assignments, has been a struggle. So here it goes...I just recently watched the film 'American Gangster.' For those of you who haven't seen it, it's a story about Frank Lucas (played by Denzel Washington), a notorious heroin supplier around the Harlem area during the 1960's. The story is how he rises to power, but it isn't too long before an overzealously adamant cop, Richie Roberts (Russell Crowe), investigates and is soon on the hunt to take Lucas Down.

If I have taken one thing from class (at least I hope) it is that any image is an argument--rhetoric. When I look at the cover of this film, the first object I notice is Denzel Washington holding a gun. This may be a cinematic dramatization to point out Washington as the gangster of the film, but an argument comes to my mind that reverted back to the Don's of 'The Godfather,' or modern day 'Sopranos:' the gun is usually never in the Don's hand is it?! He always has a lackey, or some maid man do the dirty work for him. While this immediately came to my attention, a specific scene in 'American Gangster' disputed my revelation. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sj59MXSva10 (Pardon the quality)

Before I ramble too long I'd like to quickly speak about the characters in the movie, and how their identities vary in such a tremendous way. In the beginning of the movie we see Denzel being mentored by gangster Bumpy Johnson. After his death Denzel takes over Bumpy's position as a ruling gangster in New York. Denzel's counterpart, Richie Roberts, is a cop with an attitude, and perseverence, which leads him to catching any narcotics dealer he sets out to arrest. This diversity in character made me wonder how these two were brought up, what they endured, and how they became two people with completely different beliefs.

On top of these two characters, the movies puts the viewer in a rather difficult situation when it comes to taking sides of the two main characters. On one hand you have the good guy cop, and on the other hand you have a murderous heroin supplier. To me this is a difficult situation because of Denzel Washington being the object of an all-around-good-guy in Hollywood. Other than his role in 'Training Day,' it's hard to see him murdering people on the street (let alone holding a gun on the cover of the film). For those who have seen it, I'm sure you agree Denzel did a great job playing the role, as well as Russell Crowe, but I ask; whose side would you choose? Why? Are there any other objects/subjects persuading you to make that decision. And is it the right position?